REFLECTION ON THE HERITAGE OF THE JEWISH-GENTILE
CHRISTIANS IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW.
1. Introduction
The
Gospel of Matthew is missionary, it presents the Church as a community in
Antioch of Syria 85AD. Matthew provides guidance to this community in crisis as
regards its self – understanding. It views itself as the true Israel but cut
off from its roots of Judaism and yet the Christians have not yet understood
themselves as being members of a separate religion over against Judaism but
primarily as a renewal movement within it.
2.The Nature of Matthew’s community
I
am struck by Matthew’s concern for the community to help people cope with the
new pressures they confront and to assist them in developing a missionary value
that would match the challenges of a new epoch. Matthew does not dwell on the
differences of the members but he prepares them a way to reconciliation,
forgiveness and mutual love to let go of their differences.
In the different discourses of Jesus to the
disciples, they get to know how they ought to live and to carry out the
missionary activities. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals the new law (Mt.5-7). The other discourses include, the
Missionary Discourse (Mt.10) where Matthew elaborates the missionary character
of the community (Church) that although Jesus limited his mission to the house
of Israel, the risen Christ commissions the disciples go and make disciples of
all nations. The Parable Discourse (13:24-30) expresses the Church community as
holy and sinful with strengths and weaknesses so there is need to be patient
with one another but also to give mutual correction. The Discourse on Church
life (Mt.18) and the Eschatological Discourse on the return of the Son of Man
(Mt.24-25) which invite the Church to be vigilant as she awaits the
resurrection and the second coming of Jesus.[1]
I finally say that the nature of Matthew’s community or Church is very actual
today despite our differences, Jesus reminds us that when he sends us to
proclaim the Good News, he does not make distinctions, salvation is for all his
people so we should avoid discrimination, conflict and work for unity in our
mission as a church.
A REFLECTION PAPER ON
THE CHURCH MARKED WITH A GENUINE THOUGH IMPERFECT HOLINESS
1.Introduction
According to Vatican Council II, the Church
whose mystery is set forth, by this sacred council is held as a matter of
faith, to be unfailingly holy (LG,39).
Holiness of the Church refers to her essential sinless eschatological character
but this holiness is genuine though imperfect.
2.A genuine though imperfect
holiness
This
is such a confusing statement, however, Vatican Council II explains that the
unfailing holiness of the Church is something to be accepted on faith. I am
consoled by the fact that the Church is holy by nature and her genuine holiness
is grounded in God’s holiness. “Be holy as I, the Lord your God, am holy”
(Lev.19:2). Holiness is God’s essence so as members of the Church and people of
God we all share in God’s holiness since he is our creator, he has made us in
his own image we belong to him and I believe he is our source of holiness. The
Church here on earth is endowed with a holiness that is real due to the
presence of sacraments which do not depend on the perfection of the minister or
the hearer because sacraments are complete in themselves. So when we receive
the different sacraments we live holiness of grace and virtue.
There are Charismatic gifts in the sacrament
of Confirmation, hierarchical gifts such as the anointed priests who are fruits
of Christ’s ministry, the Paschal mystery, and holiness of consecration as
religious and also as priestly people by virtue of Baptism, confirmation and
the Eucharist.[1] On the other hand it is clear for me also that
all members of the Church including her ministers are sinful and imperfect and
each day as pilgrims we are striving towards heavenly perfection that is why we
need the sacrament of Penance to ask for God’s forgiveness and to reconcile
with our neighbours as well as our own selves.
Finally I am consoled in a way that the Church
is holy because she is united to Christ who promised to be with us until the
end of time. As sinful members of the Church, we are made holy through Christ’s
salvation and by the presence of the risen Christ ( CCC 823).
REFLECTION PAPER ON THE
CHURCH OF CHRIST WHICH SUBSISTS IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
1.Introduction
Initially
in the draft of the Constitution on the Church, the Roman Catholic Church a
mystical body of Christ was understood as the only one having the right to be
called ‘Church’. The text was changed
from saying that ‘the Church of Christ is the Catholic Church’, to saying that
‘the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church’.
2.The Church of Christ
“The Church of Christ
subsists in the Catholic Church.” This is an affirmation that, “Many elements
of sanctification can be found outside the total structure of the Catholic
Church” and these elements are “ things properly belonging to the Church of
Christ.”[1]
I have got to understand that the Catholic
Church as well as the churches and ecclesial communities which are separated
from full communion with the Catholic Church have their source in the Church of
Christ that he established on earth, which has existed from the beginning and
it will always exist. The Church of Christ is one, holy, catholic and
apostolic. These four special elements are fully found in the Catholic Church
and some of them can also be traced in the other churches.
The Catholic Church has all the means of
salvation such as faith, the seven sacraments especially the Eucharist, and the
Gifts of the Holy Spirit. The reality is that the Church of Christ ‘subsists’
in the Catholic Church (LG,8) and
that there are various elements of Sanctification and of truth found also in
the other sister churches for example, Scripture, faith, Sacraments, and
prayer. All these gifts are geared
towards Catholic unity. I find this affirmation good but a challenge for us the
Catholic Church where by, we need to cultivate a new and positive attitude
towards the other Churches because we have very close links or elements that
unite us, we need to live in communion with one another, enrich one another
despite our differences and limitations. We should be witnesses to the Church
of Christ which is our source.
REFLECTION PAPER ON THE
ECCLESIOLOGY OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL
1.Introduction
The
ecclesiology of Vatican council II presented the Church as ‘communion’, it also
had a theological shift from an emphasis on visible to the invisible elements
of the Church and from the Church as an institution to Church as a mystery.[1]
2. The Place of the Dogmatic
Constitution On the Church (L G)
This
document explains the various aspects of the nature, life and mission of the
Church in the eight chapters which include the mystery of the militant Church,
the people of God, the Church as hierarchical, the laity, the call to holiness,
the religious, the pilgrim Church and our Lady. (LG 1-8) My major
emphasis in this paper is the Image of the Church as ‘mystery’ as ‘people of
God’.
2.1 The Church as ‘Mystery’ as ‘People
of God’
I am struck by the elaboration of Lumen Gentium on the Church as a mystery, intimately in
union with the mystery of God’s self revelation to humanity through Christ the
incarnate word, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. The Church has both the divine
and human dimensions with visible and invisible realities which cannot be
separated. This is such a complex reality but through faith I get to understand
it and to believe that the Church is one reality not two. The Church is
described as the visible sacrament both of “intimate union with God’’ and “a
seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race.’’( L G, 9 ) This means that the Church is the instrument
of unity and peace of which Jesus is the source and she is a sign of communion among
the people of God, that is, the hierarchy, the laity, the religious and all
Christians.
Finally
Church as people of God means that with God, there are no distinctions in tribes,
races or nations. We are all equal in dignity and each member has a special
role to play, the hierarchy, laity and religious as indicated in Lumen Gentium so we are invited to live
in love, in communion with God and with one another in the Holy Spirit, as
members of one family of God.
NANSUBUGA ROSEMARY
– 12003T
A REFLECTION PAPER
ON THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION, AFRICAE MUNUS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE
BENEDICT XVI.
1.
Introduction
Pope
Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation, Africae Munus comes as a review of the
principal elements that were discerned during the Second Assembly for Africa of
the Synod of Bishops, held in Rome from 4th to 25th
October, 2009 concerning the mission for Africa. I find the exhortation very
practical and relevant to us today because it revives our sense of commitment
and responsibility as a Church of Africa and the Islands, as well as the
Universal Church. It is a guide towards the renewal of our commitment to Jesus
Christ, in an attitude of faith and hope in the midst of such challenges as
resource exploitation, conflicts, poor governance, corruption, family and
health challenges.
2.1 Mission and Evangelization
as a collective call
We
are all agents of evangelization, bearers of Christ, the light of the world (AC,
160). I find these words so striking. As we strive to recommit ourselves to
Christ, I feel that we are one family of God and each one of us as a member has
an important role to play. The elderly as well as the young, the children, men
and women. The constituent members of the Church such as bishops, priests,
permanent deacons, consecrated persons, missionaries, seminarians, catechists
and lay people have a duty to put their gifts at the service of Evangelization
in order to respond to pastoral needs each one in his or her capacity.
2.2 Witness in the
mission of evangelization
We are all called to holiness, to be the salt
of the earth and the light of the world (Mat.5:13-14). Despite our differences,
we are invited to live according to the Beatitudes and to practice Gospel
values specifically love, reconciliation, justice and peace (AC, 17). It is not
enough to speak, we need to proclaim the risen Christ by example in action, to
bring peace where there is war, fairness or justice where there is injustice
and forgiveness where there is conflict. Finally, Christ calls us to a constant
metanoia (AC,32). By the help of the Holy Spirit, through Sacred Scripture, Tradition
and sacramental life I hope for a renewal in Africa and the Islands.
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