Homily

June 1, 2014

Seventh Sunday of Easter

First Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination

What is the Church?  This is a question that we should be pondering as this holy time of Easter draws toward its conclusion.  The events of Holy Week and the Easter season, and thus the readings and prayers of the sacred liturgy, are ecclesiological.  More simply put, they teach us about the nature of the Church. 

            There are different images that the sacred Tradition, including Scripture, has offered us for understanding what the Church is.  For example there is the image of the Bride.  The Church is, in fact, a feminine reality, as She is the Bride of Christ.  In spite of all of the clamor that the Catholic Church hates and represses women, She is, in fact, Herself a spiritual lady, the Bride of Jesus Christ.  It makes sense that Our Lord would ordain only men to the priesthood, for the priest is spiritually another Christ, an alter Christus, a visible spiritual husband to the holy Lady of the Church.

            The Second Vatican Council, in Lumen gentium, emphasizes the image of the People of God.  The Church is the holy People of God: all of those whom God has joined to Himself through the grace of Baptism.  This term of people must be seen as inclusive of all the baptized, including the hierarchical clergy.  We are not a set of classes at war for domination, but a holy people, a family, with spiritual parents and progeny, all called to live together in loving peace.

            Ven. Pius XII, in his encyclical Mystici corporis, emphasizes the image of the Mystical Body.  This image is central to the prayers and Scripture presented for us this season, especially as we approach Pentecost.  We Christians, as individual members of the People of God, are, by that fact, joined to Our Lord spiritually.  We have become small parts of the mystical totality of Christ.  Jesus Christ is the Head of this Mystical Body; we are His limbs.  Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are reborn.  We enter into a new reality, which is both visible and invisible.  We are joined to the Body of Christ.  We can experience this visibly through our participation in the Sacraments, and through the human sense of inner peace that divine grace prompts in us.  We experience it invisibly in varied ways, but particularly at death, when we go to our judgment.  At that moment, we come before the Lord Jesus, Who ascended into Heaven, beyond our earthly sight.  At death, our earthly limitations cease, and we can see Him for Whom our hearts should ever yearn.

            The Church is the communion of all true believers.  She is the ecclesia, the assembly, of all the faithful, in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth.  She is God’s Church, not ours.  It is not for us to remake Her in our own image.  She is God’s holy People, God’s holy Bride.  We are called to unite ourselves to Her, and thus to God.  Through Her, we have communion with Jesus in Heaven, through the activity of the Holy Spirit Whom He sent after the Ascension.

            The Church, like so much in the Catholic Faith, is a mystery.  She is beyond our perfect comprehension, for She is part of Christ, joined with God, Who is limitless life, goodness, truth, love, and glory.  God is infinite mystery.