Dennis Omukonyi Aura 11110T
The church based on Small Christian
community
The
church as a community is a church which comprises of individuals who come
together with a purpose of worship. In as much as it is faith that is binding
them, the very individuals are faced with some difficulties and challenges that
they have to counter. This is possible in as much as the individuals are close
to each other and they share among themselves. It is in this aspect that we
have small Christian community that will come in place.
The origin of small Christian communities can be
historically traced to be a leaven for world evangelization and Church renewal.
Individuals used to come together and share issues affecting them. Some of the
activities can also be evident from the scriptures. "They devoted
themselves to the apostles' instruction and the communal life, to the breaking
of bread and the prayers." —Acts 2:42.
Life in a small Christian community is simply our baptismal
brotherhood and sisterhood lived out practically with a few people. In the
small Christian communities individuals come together in the sharing of the
God's word, Eucharist, prayer, possessions, gifts, time, and meals. It is in
the small Christian community that a wholistic human person can be addressed in
the guidance of the faith they believe in. in it individuals share their daily
life.
In
approval of the small Christians communities by the universal church, it has
enabled a lot of collaboration between both lay and the clergy. The laity have
really got time to share the word rather than listening to the homilies by priests.
They share the word based on their own experience.
The mission of the church which is also the mission of
Christ himself is to bring the kingdom here on earth. We cannot experience the
kingdom if we are living in a condition which will not fever it. Thus, in the
small Christian communities the Christians come together to ensure that they as
Christians also looks in the economic and social uplift of the brothers and
sisters. This is a mission of Christ that in love he had to bring salvation to
the suffering. This is not against the mission of the church it gives to the
small Christian community a pastoral perspective. The church is called both to
look into all aspects that entail a human person.
Dennis Omukonyi Aura 11110T
For
a number of years the church has been seen in the institutions that it has
given rise to. For most of the Missionaries who came in Africa did not only
dwell with the spiritual part of a human person but also in other developments.
Whenever there is an old church, it is more likely to get either a school,
hospital, or even both. In some instances one can really fail to see the
difference between the church and other non-governmental organizations since
the church also is involved in the betterment of a human person. This are part
of the visible fruits of the
The
church having been filled with the Holy Spirit, it is from the same spirit that
the Church has been given the different gift to enable the manifestation in
different angles. These are the different charisms that the church has.
Charisms are particular types of spiritual gifts which enable individuals and
also the church as a community to be able to perform its functions. This can
also be traced from the scriptures in the letters of St. Paul i.e. rom 12, 1st
Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4.
In
the same angle of the charisms, it is now clear and certain that the existence
of the different congregations and movements in the Church is also a God
granted gift. In the religious movements, the charismatic gift is evident in
the continuity and stability of the founders’ intention. Due to this the church
has been able to have a diversity of deeds thus breaking the aspect of
uniformity. The diverse gifts given to the church have helped in the scope as
to where the church can extend to. In order to enable the constancy in the congregations,
it is a call to continuous reflects on its original purpose, values of the
founder, and all this has to be in line with the call to Christian living which
is a call of the Church.
In
the hierarchical offices of the church, we also come across a charismatic
nature. It is clearly seen that the Church works in collaboration with both the
clergy and the laity in its ministries. The different individuals are also
bringing their uniqueness in the service of the church and all this is done to
show that the spirit is within the whole Church not only on specific
individuals. This helps in the bringing into the church a variety of ideas
which is contained in the church community.
Dennis Omukonyi Aura 11110T
Baptism and membership in the body
of Christ
To
be a member of a certain entity there is a need for an individual to know,
understand, believe and be able to explain where he belongs. In the membership
of the church, one of the most essential things that could make one a member is
baptism. The sacrament of baptism is a baptism into Christ Jesus himself. Once
we are baptized we are joined in the one body of Christ and thus we become part
of the body of which he is the head. As it is in the letters of St. Paul, it
was until Easter that members were now being baptized into this body.( 1cor
12:13, Rom 6:3)
After
baptism, individuals are expected to ape Christ who is their model and the head
of the Church. A baptism requires an individual to transcend all the human
boundaries and join the bigger body of Christ. In baptism an individual
receives a mark which becomes permanent and it will never fade off. The
reception of this mark calls for a life that will show fruits which will
correspond to it. In cases where by an individual has willingly chosen to go
astray, the mark does not fade away. One can be out of the body of Christ
either through excommunication of which this does not rub off the mark.
Excommunication is only from a juridical body thus it does not invalidate the
sacrament of baptism which was validly received.
In
the reception of the sacrament of baptism, there exist a two way of receptions.
First a member by himself or herself should consciously and with free will
accept to receive the sacrament. In as far as an individual has accepted, the
community of believers is to accept and receive this member into this body.
Once an individual has become part of this Body, the whole community has a task
of nurturing this faith that has been received. The whole community becomes one
body and takes responsibility over each part of the bigger body.
Belonging
to this body of Christ, it makes individual able to relate with each other
without seeing other boundaries. It is on this perspective that the Christians
communities are able to come together but only those with valid baptism.
Communities outside are considered to be ecclesial communities for the lack of
valid baptism which makes them members of the Body of Christ which is the
Church.
Dennis Omukonyi Aura 11110T
Reflection on the chapter on the
spirituality of ecclesiology in the book holy Longing by Ronald Rolheiser
The
chapter tries to link between the kingdom of God and the Church. The Church is
before all a community of hearts and souls, of all people very different from
each other, coming together for the sake of Christ who is at the centre. In the
Church, all human types of solidarities loose there importance. These types of
solidarities include clan, tribe, nationality, race, ethnic affiliations, etc.
Unlike
this other affiliations, the foundation of the church lies on the gathering of
people around the person of Christ who want to live and share his spirit. These
gatherings find their summit in the Eucharist and in the celebration of the
word. In such a community, the members come together in the sharing and each
member is accountable for the other.
In
the membership of the Church one receives baptism and conscription mark that
requires of him to change from the normal agenda and transform the daily
choices. Once an individual has consciously accepted the membership, it is
expected of him to be completely different both in his deeds, words, etc.
If
the church is a flesh of Christ it means that we can only meet her in the
community as we and Her associate not only with saints but also with sinners.
The church is also an open and inclusive community where the members anoint
each other with love and affection during their life time and support each
other. It has
The
church finally answers the call of human beings to be social, as they associate
with others in their quest for God. The Church makes us part of a group which
will give us a realistic view of ourselves, and links us as much as with the
people of the past than those of the future. We support each other in carrying
our daily burdens and joy and we can also dream together about our future. In
the church we come across both the clergy, laity, religious and individuals
from different categories of professions coming together in order to see unto
it that the mission of Christ is achieved.
The church as a community, seem to be the
natural response – according to the social nature of human being – to their
quest to find and worship God together and as a group they become Christ’s body
through listening to his word and sharing in the Eucharist. This community is
bound together by faith which is expressed by love
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