PRAYER

“NOW YOU ARE CHRIST’S BODY, AND

INDIVIDUALLY PARTS OF IT.”

—1 CORINTHIANS 12:27
REVIEW TIME!

•IN ONE WORD WHO IS

JESUS CHRIST FOR
YOU?
 E X P E R I E N C E O F
OU R
G O D ’ S R E V E L AT I ON
I N T HE C H U R C H
LESSON 7
 FOCUS

CHURCH AS FOUNDATIONAL SACRAMENT OF

JESUS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• AT THE END OF THE LESSON, THE STUDENTS CAN;
1. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THE
CHURCH PLAYS IN OUR SALVATION, AND
2. GIVE CONCRETE WAYS ON HOW THE CHURCH
FULFILS HER VOCATION AS THE SIGN OF GOD’S
PRESENCE IN THE WORLD.
FILL OUT THE TABLE WITH THE NECESSARY
INFORMATION. LIST THE CHURCHES YOU
VISITED, YOUR OBSERVATIONS, AND WRITE
A BRIEF HISTORY/INFORMATION ABOUT THE
CHURCH.
 Churches Observations Brief History
Visited or
Information
of the Church
You Visited
Christ the King Huge, Solemn,
Cathedral Holy
“THE CHURCH IS THE ‘UNIVERSAL SACRAMENT
OF SALVATION,’ BY WHICH CHRIST IS ‘AT ONCE
MANIFESTING AND ACTUALIZING THE MYSTERY
OF GOD'S LOVE FOR MEN.’"
WHAT COMES FIRST TO YOUR MIND WHEN
YOU HEAR OR SEE A CHURCH?
 ACTIVITY TIME!

WHETHER OR NOT THE CHURCH IS NEEDED

FOR OUR SALVATION.
 CHURCH TEACHINGS
GOD REVEALS HIMSELF IN THE CHURCH (DV 4). GOD CONTINUES
TO MANIFEST HIMSELF TODAY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE
CHURCH. HE IS PRESENT IN THE CHURCH’S PREACHING OF THE
TRUTH OF SACRED SCRIPTURES, IN ITS WITNESS OF LOVING
SERVICE, AND THROUGH THE CELEBRATION OF ITS CHRIST-
GIVEN SACRAMENTS. CHRIST’S REVELATION IN THE CHURCH IS
“THE NEW AND DEFINITIVE COVENANT WHICH WILL NEVER PASS
AWAY. NO NEW PUBLIC REVELATION IS TO BE EXPECTED BEFORE
THE GLORIOUS MANIFESTATION OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST.”
 CHURCH TEACHINGS
THE CHURCH IS A MYSTERY (CCC 772) IN THE MYSTERY OF
FAITH—FAITH IN THE CONTINUING PRESENCE OF JESUS
AMONG US, FAITH IN “THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S PLAN, WHICH
IS ‘TO UNITE ALL THINGS IN HIM.” BIBLICAL IMAGES HELP US
UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST (CCC 669,
787–795), THE PEOPLE OF GOD (LG 2; CCC 781–786), AND
THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (CCC 797–80).
QUESTIONS:

1. THE CHURCH IS PART OF GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION. WHAT

MAKES THE CHURCH AS THE SACRAMENT OF CHRIST?
2. HOW DOES GOD MAKE HIMSELF PRESENT IN THE CHURCH?
3. WHAT SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH DO
THE FOLLOWING IMAGES PRESENT?
A. BODY OF CHRIST; B. PEOPLE OF GOD; & 3. TEMPLE OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT
 ASSESSMENT
EXPRESS THROUGH A PRAYER YOUR REALIZATIONS
ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ROLE WHICH THE CHURCH
PLAYS IN THE WORLD. INCLUDE IN YOUR PRAYER
THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WILL DO TO HELP THE
CHURCH TRULY BECOME THE “SALT OF THE EARTH
AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” (THE PRAYER OF ST.
FRANCIS OF ASSISI CAN BE USED AS A MODEL OF
THEIR PRAYER).
 SUMMARY/ACTION
CHRISTIAN LEARNING: FROM THE LESSON
DISCUSSED, I LEARNED THAT: ___________________
CHRISTIAN LOVING: FROM WHAT I LEARNED IN THE
DISCUSSION, I WILL: ___________________
CHRISTIAN LIVING: FROM WHAT I LEARNED AND
PROMISED TO DO:
___________________
PRAYER

“NOW YOU ARE CHRIST’S BODY, AND

INDIVIDUALLY PARTS OF IT.”

—1 CORINTHIANS 12:27
REVIEW TIME!

IS THE CHURCH IMPORTANT?

WHY AND WHY NOT?
PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of Baptism
PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of Confirmation
 PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

 PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of Penance and

Reconciliation
PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of Matrimony
PICTURE ANALYSIS

Sacrament of Holy Orders

 WHAT IS SACRAMENT?

•COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD SACRAMENTUM,

WHICH MEANS “A SIGN OF THE SACRED.”
•ALSO MEANS SACRED SIGNS.
•THE VISIBLE SIGNS OF INVISIBLE GRACES.
 FOCUS

CHURCH AS SACRAMENT OF SALVATION AND

CONTINUOUS PRESENCE OF GOD
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• AT THE END OF THE LESSON, THE STUDENTS CAN;
1. REALIZE THAT THE CHURCH IS THE VISIBLE
MANIFESTATION OF THE RISEN LORD AND AN
EFFECTIVE AGENT OF CHRIST’S OWN SAVING WORK,
AND
2. PRAY FOR THE GRACE IN PERSEVERANCE IN
BECOMING CHRIST’S SACRAMENT TO OTHERS.
 WHAT IS THE MISSION HANDED BY CHRIST
TO THE CHURCH?
BEGINNING WITH THE CHURCH’S ORIGIN AND BIRTH AT
PENTECOST (30 AD), FIFTY DAYS AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF
JESUS, THE APOSTLES GATHERED IN ONE ROOM AND SUDDENLY
THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME AND APPEARED TO THEM IN “TONGUES
AS OF FIRE WHICH PARTED AND CAME TO REST ON EACH ONE OF
THEM AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND
BEGAN TO SPEAK IN DIFFERENT TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT
ENABLED THEM TO PROCLAIM” (ACTS 2:1–4). AFTER RECEIVING
THE SPIRIT ON THAT SAME DAY, ST. PETER, AS LEADER OF THE
CHURCH, DELIVERED HIS FIRST SERMON (ACTS 2:22-24).
 WHAT IS THE MISSION HANDED BY CHRIST
TO THE CHURCH?
THE PENTECOST EVENT BROUGHT THE FIRST
MAGNIFICENT WORK OF EVANGELIZATION OF THE
APOSTLES. THIS ERA IS CALLED THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH
(30–70 AD). THE GROWING COMMUNITIES OF
CHRISTIANS CAME TO BE CALLED EKKLESIA, THE GREEK
WORD FOR THE CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IT
COMES FROM THE HEBREW WORD QAHAL, WHICH
MEANS AN ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE.
WHAT IS THE MISSION HANDED BY CHRIST
TO THE CHURCH?
PETER AND PAUL WERE THE TWO PROMINENT
FIGURES IN THE CHURCH IN THE ACTS OF APOSTLES.
THROUGH THE DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE
OF THE APOSTLES IN DOING THE MINISTRY OF
EVANGELIZATION, THE CHURCH GREW AND
STRETCHED TO THE FARTHEST NATIONS.
ALONGSIDE THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH ARE THE
GROWING AND CONTINUOUS PERSECUTIONS OF
CHRISTIANS.
 WHY IS CHRIST THE SACRAMENT OF THE
FATHER?

GOD THE FATHER IS REVEALED THOUGH HIS SON

JESUS CHRIST.

“WHOEVER SEES ME, SEES THE FATHER ALSO”

(JOHN 14:9).
 WHY IS THE CHURCH THE SACRAMENT OF
CHRIST?
THE CHURCH IS THE SACRAMENT OF CHRIST, THE CONTINUOUS
PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD. AS SACRAMENT, THE
CHURCH IS CHRIST'S INSTRUMENT: “SHE IS TAKEN UP BY HIM
ALSO AS THE INSTRUMENT FOR THE SALVATION OF ALL.” IT IS
“THE UNIVERSAL SACRAMENT OF SALVATION” BY WHICH
CHRIST IS “AT ONCE MANIFESTING AND ACTUALIZING THE
MYSTERY OF GOD'S LOVE FOR MEN.” THE CHURCH “IS THE
VISIBLE PLAN OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HUMANITY” BECAUSE GOD
DESIRES “THAT THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE MAY BECOME ONE
PEOPLE OF GOD, FORM ONE BODY OF CHRIST, AND BE BUILT UP
INTO ONE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” (CCC 776).
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL MARKS AND
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH?
 THE FOUR MARKS OF THE CHURCH

THE CHURCH CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS THE CHURCH

ESTABLISHED BY CHRIST BY FOUR BASIC MARKS. THESE
MARKS ARE THE UNIQUE AND ESSENTIAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH.

1. ONE 2. HOLY
3. CATHOLIC 4. APOSTOLIC
 THE FOUR MARKS OF THE CHURCH

1. THE CHURCH IS ONE BECAUSE OF HER SOURCE, THE

ONE LIVING GOD IN THREE PERSONS; HER ONE
FOUNDER, JESUS CHRIST; HER ONE SOUL, THE HOLY
SPIRIT, WHO DWELLS IN THE LIFE OF THE FAITHFUL,
AND WHO UNITES THEM INTO ONE COMMUNION OF
BELIEVERS.
2. THE CHURCH IS HOLY BECAUSE OF HER FOUNDER,
JESUS CHRIST, THE SOURCE OF ALL HOLINESS.
 THE FOUR MARKS OF THE CHURCH

3. THE CHURCH IS CATHOLIC BECAUSE IT POSSESSES

FULLNESS OF FAITH AND ALL MEANS OF SALVATION.
THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD “CATHOLIC” IS DERIVED
FROM GREEK WORD MEANING “UNIVERSAL. ”
4. THE CHURCH IS APOSTOLIC BECAUSE SHE GUARDS
AND
TRANSMITS THE TEACHINGS AND WITNESSES OF THE
APOSTLES.
 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

•WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM US AS MEMBERS OF CHRIST’S

SACRAMENT?
•HOW CAN THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH TRULY BECOME
INSTRUMENTS OF GOD’S LOVE TO THE WORLD?
•HOW CAN THE CHURCH CONCRETIZE HER MISSION OF
BRINGING GOD’S LOVE AND SALVATION TO THE WORLD?
 ASSESSMENT
EXPRESS THROUGH A PRAYER YOUR REALIZATIONS
ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ROLE WHICH THE CHURCH
PLAYS IN THE WORLD. INCLUDE IN YOUR PRAYER
THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WILL DO TO HELP THE
CHURCH TRULY BECOME THE “SALT OF THE EARTH
AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” (THE PRAYER OF ST.
FRANCIS OF ASSISI CAN BE USED AS A MODEL OF
THEIR PRAYER).