THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

Table of Contents v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ix Abbreviations used for the Books of the Bible

ix General Abbreviations

x Foreword

293 Art and Photo Credits

298 Index

1 Chapter 1:God Prepares the Way for His Churchin the Old Testament

4 Creation Is Made for Man5 We Were Made for Communion with God6 God Prepares His People for the Church7 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Irenæus of Lyon8 The Covenant of Creation8 Adam’s Disobedience9 A Plan for Restoration

10 God Calls Abram11 Abraham, Our Father in Faith12 Abraham’s Obedience13 A Blessing for All Nations13 Sidebar: Isaac and Christ14 God Calls Moses15 The Exodus from Egypt16 Sidebar: Ten Plagues of Egypt17 God’s Covenant with Israel19 Israel’s Disobedience20 Israel Demands a King21 King David22 God’s Covenant with David23 Sidebar: The Seven Primary Features of the

Davidic Covenant23 The Reign of Solomon and the Collapse

of the Kingdom24 Sidebar: Three Additional Features or

Secondary Characteristics of the Davidic Covenant

25 Conclusion26 Supplementary Reading28 Vocabulary32 Study Questions33 Practical Exercises34 From the Catechism

35 Chapter 2:Jesus Christ Instituted the Church

36 PART I: God Prepares His People for the Church

39 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the ChurchSt. Augustine of Hippo

40 The Incarnation42 The Proclamation of the Kingdom42 Sidebar: What Is the Kingdom of God Like?43 Sidebar: The Parable of the Sower44 Jesus Calls the Twelve Apostles45 Salvation Through the Cross46 What Does It Mean to Be Saved?47 Made Known in the Breaking of the Bread48 The Fulfillment of the Old Covenant

in the Church50 Sidebar: The Covenants of Salvation History51 A New and Everlasting Temple52 PART II: Names and Images of the Church54 Images of the Church55 The Mystical Body of Christ56 The Bride of Christ57 Sidebar: The Church Is a “She”57 The Family of God58 Sidebar: The Church as the Family of God60 The People of God60 Sidebar: Worshiping as the New People of God62 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Francis of Assisi63 The Kingdom of God64 Sidebar: Other Images of the Church65 Conclusion66 Supplementary Reading68 Vocabulary71 Study Questions72 Practical Exercises73 From the Catechism

75 Chapter 3:The Story of the Early Church

78 “Go and Make Disciples of All Nations”79 The Day of Pentecost80 The Descent of the Holy Spirit81 St. Peter’s Authority82 Sidebar: St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ,

the Good Shepherd (Jn 21:15-17)83 Trials and Persecution84 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Polycarp

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THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

vi Table of Contents

85 St. Paul, Light for the Gentiles86 Sidebar: St. Paul, the Man Chosen for the

Conversion of the Gentiles88 Preaching to All Nations88 St. Philip Baptizes the Ethiopian89 The Vision of St. Peter90 The Council of Jerusalem90 The Meaning of Twelve91 Acts of the Apostles91 St. Peter92 St. James the Greater93 St. John94 St. Andrew94 St. Philip95 St. Bartholomew (Nathanael)95 St. Matthew96 St. Thomas96 St. James the Lesser97 St. Jude (Judas)97 St. Simon97 Judas Iscariot98 St. Paul99 Called to Be Apostles99 “Thy Kingdom Come”

100 Conclusion101 Supplementary Reading102 Vocabulary104 Study Questions105 Practical Exercises105 From the Catechism

107 Chapter 4:The Church as Sacrament of Salvation

109 The Church Is the Sacrament of Salvation110 The Mystery of the Church111 A Visible and Invisible Society112 The Church as the Sacrament of Communion113 Sidebar: Pope Benedict XVI on the Meaning

of Communion114 The Hierarchical Structure of the Church114 Sidebar: The Hierarchy of the Church Is

Established by Christ116 St. Peter and the Papacy117 Sidebar: How a Pope Is Elected

118 Roman Curia118 Secretariat of State118 Congregations119 Tribunals119 Pontifical Councils120 The Office of Bishop121 Sidebar: What Is a Cathedral?122 Ecumenical Councils123 The Office of Priest124 Sidebar: What Is a Parish?124 The Office of Deacon125 The Teaching Authority of the Church126 The Deposit of Faith126 Sidebar: What Is Apostolic Tradition?128 The Magisterium128 Infallibility of the Magisterium129 Sanctifying and Governing Role of the Church130 Sidebar: Precepts of the Church130 Salvation and the Church132 Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations133 Conclusion134 Supplementary Reading137 Vocabulary141 Study Questions142 Practical Exercises143 From the Catechism

145 Chapter 5:The Four Marks of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic

148 The First Mark: The Church Is One149 Unity in the Mystical Body150 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

Pope St. Leo the Great151 Wounds to Unity152 Sidebar: The Four Marks of the Church152 Heresies in the Early Church153 Gnosticism154 Arianism (Fourth Century)155 Apollinarianism (ca. 360-381)155 Nestorianism (ca. 351–ca. 451)156 Monophysitism (400s-600s)156 The Protestant Reformation157 Toward Greater Christian Unity

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THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

Table of Contents vii

158 Sidebar: Contemporary Efforts in Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue

159 The Second Mark: The Church Is Holy160 Participation in the Holiness of Christ161 The Church Will Receive Her Perfection

in the Glory of Heaven162 The Third Mark: The Church Is Catholic162 Sidebar: The Catholicity of the Church164 Sidebar: Why Does the Church Have

Different Rites?The Twenty-one Rites of the Catholic Church

165 The Fourth Mark: The Church Is Apostolic166 Conclusion168 Supplementary Reading171 Vocabulary174 Study Questions174 Practical Exercise175 From the Catechism

177 Chapter 6:The Church in the Life of the Faithful

180 PART I: The Universal Call to Holiness180 Faith Requires a Response181 The Church Is the People of God183 Common Priesthood of the Faithful184 The Laity185 Universal Call to Holiness186 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Gianna Beretta Molla187 The Liturgy of the Catholic Church188 Sidebar: Jesus Christ, the One Mediator

Between God and Man188 The Liturgical Year191 The Seven Sacraments191 What Is a Sacrament?191 Ex Opere Operato193 Why the Sacraments?194 Baptism195 The Catechumenate196 Baptism of Blood, Baptism of Desire,

and Unbaptized Infants196 Sidebar: Baptism: The Doorway of the Church197 Confirmation199 Eucharist200 The New Passover201 Sidebar: The Mass in the Early Church

202 “Do This in Memory of Me”203 Sidebar: The Eucharist: The Source and

Summit of the Church’s Life204 Penance205 Venial and Mortal Sins206 Anointing of the Sick207 Not Just “Extreme Unction”208 Holy Orders208 Characters of Ecclesial Ministry209 Matrimony210 “One Flesh”211 A Vocation of Service211 A Life of Prayer212 Types of Prayer214 Sacrifice and Self-Denial215 Sidebar: The Role of Youth in the Church216 PART II: Seeking Holiness in Daily Life216 Living Witnesses of Jesus Christ217 Sidebar: Evangelizing Truths217 Holiness Within One’s State of Life218 Holiness in Family Life218 Sidebar: St. Paul’s Teachings Concerning

the Unmarried219 Finding Holiness in Our Work220 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Thomas More221 The Lay Apostolate222 Sidebar: They Will Know You Are My Disciples222 Living Our Faith in the Midst of the World223 Vocation to the Consecrated Life224 Types of Consecrated Life225 Conclusion226 Supplementary Reading230 Vocabulary235 Study Questions237 Practical Exercises238 From the Catechism

241 Chapter 7: The Church as a Communion of Saints

244 The Church as a Communion of Saints245 Sidebar: What Is an Indulgence?246 What Does It Mean to Be a Saint?247 Intercession of the Saints247 Intercessory Prayer248 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Therese of Lisieux

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THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

viii Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

249 Veneration of the Saints250 The End of History: A New Heaven and

a New Earth252 St. John’s Vision of the Heavenly Liturgy253 The Holy Mass Is a Participation in the

Heavenly Liturgy254 The Last Things255 Particular Judgment255 Purgatory256 Praying for the Holy Souls256 Hell257 Sidebar: Why Pray for the Dead?258 Heaven259 The Parousia260 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Michael the Archangel262 Conclusion263 Vocabulary265 Study Questions266 Practical Exercises267 From the Catechism

269 Chapter 8: Mary, Mother of the Church and Our Mother

272 Mary in God’s Plan of Salvation272 Mother of God272 Sidebar: Church Dogmas About Mary274 Sidebar: Fiat: The “Yes” of Mary275 The Immaculate Conception277 Sidebar: The Woman of the Protoevangelium277 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary279 Sidebar: The Saints: Pillars of the Church

St. Joseph280 The Perpetual Virginity of Mary280 Sidebar: Did Jesus Have Brothers and Sisters?281 Mary, Mother of the Church282 Sidebar: “Behold, Your Mother!”283 Mary, Help of Christians284 Queen of Heaven285 Conclusion287 Sidebar: Litany of Loreto288 Supplementary Reading289 Vocabulary290 Study Questions290 Practical Exercises291 From the Catechism

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Beginning with Adam and Eve, God gradually unfolded his plan of salvation to the world.

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THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

2 Chapter One

Christians of the first centuries said, “The world was created for the sake of the Church.”1 Godcreated the world for the sake of communion with his divine life, a communion brought about bythe “convocation” of men in Christ, and this “convocation” is the Church. The Church is the goalof all things . . .2

Just as God’s will is creation and is called “the world,” so his intention is the salvationof men, and it is called “the Church.”3 (CCC 760)

rom all eternity, God had a plan to draw all people into communion with himself—a plan thatwas put into effect at the dawn of creation. Even after the Original Sin committed by Adamand Eve, God did not abandon his people, but provided a plan for their redemption. Hepromised to send them a Redeemer, who would restore mankind to his friendship.4 In thismanner, God foresaw Christ and the Church from the very dawn of creation. Thus, “we begin

our investigation of the Church’s mystery by meditating on her origin in the Holy Trinity’s plan and herprogressive realization in history.”5

Beginning with Adam and Eve, God gradually unfolded his plan of salvation to the world. He establishedcovenants with his people and revealed his moral law to prepare mankind for the coming of his Son.

The stories in the Old Testament relate the gradual Revelation of God to the world. In the fullness of time,God fulfilled his promise of a Redeemer, sending his Son, Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary.Jesus would reveal the fullness of truth and reconcile God and man, restoring the communion that had beenlost in Original Sin. Thus, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the pivotal event in human history.

Through his Death on the Cross, Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The salvation won by Christon Calvary continues today through the ministry of the Church, and it is through the Church that Godreconciles his people with himself.

The Church is both the means and the goal of God’s plan: prefigured in creation, prepared for inthe Old Covenant, founded by the words and actions of Jesus Christ, fulfilled by his redeemingcross and his Resurrection, the Church has been manifested as the mystery of salvation by theoutpouring of the Holy Spirit. She will be perfected in the glory of heaven as the assembly of allthe redeemed of the earth.6 (CCC 778)

The Church founded by Christ is known as the Family of God, the People of God, the Mystical Body of Christ,the Kingdom of Heaven, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Bride of Christ, the Sacrament of Salvation, andby many more names, each of which illuminates specific aspects of the Church’s nature. However, thecommon thread linking each of these names is the Church’s relation to God. Apart from its communion inChrist and intimate sharing in the Divine Life of the Blessed Trinity, the Church has no life. This means thatthe Church is entirely “Christ-centered.”

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GOD PREPARES THE WAY FOR HIS CHURCH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Chapter One 3

IN THIS CHAPTER, WE WILL ADDRESS SEVERAL QUESTIONS:

z Why were we created?

z How did God prepare his people for the Church?

z How was the Church foreshadowed in the Old Testament?

z What is the meaning of covenant?

z What covenants did God establish with the Israelites?

z What were the primary features of the Old Testament Covenant, and how did these features point the way to the New Covenant?

Like the dual nature of Christ himself—true God and true man—the Church has two distinct natures. As theMystical Body of Christ, the Church is a divine institution. As a community, into which individuals areincorporated through Baptism, the Church also has a human dimension. In order to better understand thenature of the Church, therefore, we need to go back to the very beginning of the human story to see how Godprepared his people for the coming of Christ and the establishment of his Church.

Holy Trinity by Balen. The Church founded by Christ is known as the Family of God, the People of God, the MysticalBody of Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Bride of Christ, the Sacrament of Salvation,

and by many more names, each of which illuminates specific aspects of the Church‘s nature.

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THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

4 Chapter One

CREATION IS MADE FOR MANIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gn 1:1)

These opening verses from the Book of Genesis relate God’s great work of creation. We see that the uni-verse was formless and void in the beginning, that God brought all creation into being by the power of his Word.

The six days that follow are divided into two corresponding groups of three days. Throughout Scripture, the number three is used to denote perfection or completeness. Here, the Sacred Author uses the numberthree to signify the perfection of God’s creation.

In the first set of three days, God gave shape to the world, overcoming its formlessness and creating theforms that would sustain life.

z On the first day, God created light and separated it from the darkness, calling one “day” and the other “night.” (Gn 1: 3-5)

z On the second day, he separated the waters, forming the “sky” and the “sea.” (Gn 1: 6-8)

z On the third day, he created “dry land” and gave life to the “plants and vegetation.” (Gn 1: 9-13)

During the next set of three days, God filled the world with the life that will rule over the forms that he has created.

z On the fourth day, God created the “sun and moon” to rule over the “day and night.” (Gn 1:14-19)

z On the fifth day, he called forth “birds and fish” to rule over “sky and sea.” (Gn 1: 20-23)

z On the sixth day, he created “animals” to rule over the “dry land.” (Gn 1: 24-25)

God Creating the Sun, the Moon and the Stars by Brueghel. Created in communion with him, Adam and Eve would enjoy anintimate friendship with God in the paradise that he had created for them.

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GOD PREPARES THE WAY FOR HIS CHURCH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Chapter One 5

By dividing the act of creation into these two corresponding groups of three-day periods, the creation storyis telling us that the act of creation was complete and perfect. However, at this point in Scripture, thepurpose of God’s creation had not yet been revealed. Finally, God added one last creature to his new world.

God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over thefish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and overevery creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in theimage of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gn 1: 26-27)

By creating Adam and Eve, and placing them over his creation, God was not only creating caretakers orstewards for his new world. Instead, God made man and woman in his “own image,” endowing them withthe ability to understand, to make choices, and to love. Created in communion with him, Adam and Evewould enjoy an intimate friendship with God in the paradise that he had created for them. The world hadbeen created for mankind, and mankind had been created for God.

The imago Dei consists in man’s fundamental orientation to God, which is the basis of humandignity and of the inalienable rights of the human person. Because every human being is animage of God, he cannot be made subservient to any this-worldly system or finality. Hissovereignty within the cosmos, his capacity for social existence, and his knowledge and love ofthe Creator—all are rooted in man’s being made in the image of God.7

WE WERE MADE FOR COMMUNION WITH GODGod, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man tomake him share in his own blessed life. (CCC 1)

What does Scripture mean when it says that we were made in the “image and likeness” of God? Whenreading Scripture, it is often best to understand the meaning of a particular word or phrase by looking to

Paradise by Cranach the Elder.As descendants of Adam and Eve, we, too, are children of God made in his “image and likeness.”ß

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THE CHURCH Sacrament of Salvation

6 Chapter One

other instances of its use in the text. In this case, we next see the term “image and likeness” used todescribe Adam becoming the father of Seth “in his own likeness, after his image.”8

Just as Seth had received his biological nature from his father, Adam shared in the nature of his heavenlyFather. As human beings, we are unique in possessing intelligence, free will, and the capacity to love.Above all, we possess the ability to know God and to understand the purpose of our existence. These giftsenable us to love God and to follow his plan for our lives, and thus fulfill our purpose of entering intocommunion with him.

There is a second significance in the use of the term “image and likeness.” It denotes the relationshipbetween a father and a son. Unlike the birds of the air or the fish of the sea, Adam was a beloved son of theFather. As descendants of Adam and Eve, we, too, are children of God made in his “image and likeness.”

Created in the image of God, human beings are by nature bodily and spiritual, men and womenmade for one another, persons oriented towards communion with God and with one another,wounded by sin and in need of salvation, and destined to be conformed to Christ, the perfectimage of the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit.9

GOD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE FOR THE CHURCHThis “family of God” is gradually formed and takes shape during the stages of human history, inkeeping with the Father ’s plan. In fact, “already present in figure at the beginning of the world,this Church was prepared in marvelous fashion in the history of the people of Israel and the oldAdvance.”10 (CCC 759)

From the beginning of creation, God desired to gather all mankind into communion with himself. Adam andEve had been created in communion with God, but they lost this gift when they disobeyed God and ate from

the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Whatfollows this infamous act in Scripture is the story ofGod’s efforts to restore the original communion forwhich mankind had been created. The biblical record ofhow God’s plan of redemption in Christ unfolded iscalled salvation history.

Beginning in the first books of the Old Testament, weread how God established covenants with his peopleand revealed his moral law, preparing the world for the sending of his Son, Jesus Christ. In the NewTestament, we see how these preparations come tofruition in the Person and life of Christ and in theChurch he established.

One way of following the events of salvation history isto see it as a series of covenants between God and man. In fact, the idea of covenant is a central themethroughout the entire Bible. But what exactly is acovenant? A covenant is a solemn agreement betweenGod and people—an agreement that involves mutualcommitments and promises.

Throughout salvation history, God made use of covenants to unite himself to his people. By examining God’scovenants with Adam, Abraham, Moses, and David, we will see how God prepared his people for the Newand Everlasting Covenant in Christ Jesus.

Fallen in Adam, God the Father did not leave men to themselves, but ceaselessly offered helps tosalvation, in view of Christ, the Redeemer “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn ofevery creature.” All the elect, before time began, the Father “foreknew and predestined to becomeconformed to the image of His Son, that he should be the firstborn among many brethren.” Heplanned to assemble in the holy Church all those who would believe in Christ. (Lumen Gentium 2)

God Presents Eve to Adam (detail from Garden of EarthlyDelights) by Bosch. As originally designed by God, creation

was a setting where man and woman could know God and live in his presence.

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