THE CHURCH

“The

Mystical Body

of Christ”

The Church is the Mystical body of Christ

The last lesson we say that:

o The Church is the Mystical body of Christ .

o And the Holy Spirit gives life to the Body of Christ: “THE CHURCH”

o The Holy Spirit is “the Soul” of the “Mystical Body of Christ”.

MYSTICAL BODY

The word MYSTICAL means SPIRITUAL.

Jesus has a Physical Body, which is in heaven. We know Jesus ascended into Heaven

body & soul.

Jesus has a Spiritual Body, too. This spiritual body is made of all those

who believe in Him, and are Baptize.

The Spiritual Body is the CHURCH.

Holy Spirit is the Soul of the Mystical Body When we were baptized, the HOLY SPIRIT united us to

Christ.

The Holy Spirit forms all, who believe and are baptize, into Christ Mystical Body.

The Holy Spirit does to the Mystical body of Christ, what our human souls do to our physical bodies. Our souls give life to our bodies and enable us to move and

act. Without our soul our body is death

The Holy Spirit gives life to the Body of Christ: THE CHURCH,

He acts, moves, and guides the Church through History

Without the Holy Spirit The Church will have no power to continue… Christ mission on the world.

St. Paul

St. Paul, 1st century preacher and teacher, who wrote most of the books of the New Testament. (1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans, etc)

He often talk about the Mystical Body of Christ in his writings This is because St. Paul had a amazing experience of this Truth.

At first, Paul was a devote Jew, So when the Apostles began to preach the Gospel, he tried to do everything he could to stop people to believe in Jesus.

He persecuted the Christians and put them in jail for their believes.

St. Paul ConversionOn day St. Paul was in his way to Damascus to bring

back to Jerusalem, those who believe in Jesus; to be put them in trail, be punish, and even be put to death.

But, when Paul was closer to the City, a flash surround him and he fell from his horse to the ground.He hear a voice saying: Saul, Saul, (this name was Saul then, later was change to Paul)

The Voice said: Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me? Saul reply: Who are you Lord? The Voice said: “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting”

This was an astonishing & impressive answer because this event took place after Jesus ascended into heaven;

However, Jesus tells Saul that it is HIM, who he is persecuting, when he Persecute the Christians.

So we know, by our Lord’s words to Saul, that those who believe in Christ and are baptize, are really and truly His Mystical Body.

When we say that all Christians are members or Part of the body of Christ…

we do not mean we are LIKE the Body of Christ. NO! WE REALLY ARE CHRIST MISTICAL BODY!!!

Christ is the Head of the Body, and we are HIS members, parts of His body.

Spiritual Union in Christ

The bonds of the Holy Spirit are strongest.

Just as the part of a human body, our hands, ears, legs, etc. all work together for the good of the body……So each person who is baptized, in Christ body, has a particular role to play in the building of Christ body: “The Church”

Everyone is needed; everyone is important.

The Holy Spirit gives different gifts to the different members of the body.

Different People & Gifts Think all the different people who are members of the

Church There is the Pope, the Cardinals, the bishops, the priest, Deacons, consecrated man, etc. There are Fathers, Mothers, teenagers, children all ages.

Think all different things these people do, as members of the church

Some like the Pope & bishops govern and rule the Church Some teach and preach Others have roles as servants To some the Holy Spirit gives the ability to work miracles

and heal the sick To other he inspires great works for God Or something simple, like running a kitchen

The Holy Spirit Pours Grace

Beside guiding and directing the Church, The Holy Spirit pours out Gifts of HOLINESS & GRACE among the member of Christ Body

The Specific gifts that we need everyday to just do what we suppose to be doing, the best we can.

GIFTS of Faith, Love, Charity, Hope, Devotion, Understanding, Strength, holiness, and more

All this works and activities, we see going on the Church today, and through the centuries were inspired and made possible by the Holy Spirit.

Members of the Mystical Body

1) First We become members of the Church in Baptism

2) Through baptism, we are united to Christ, and receive the Holy Spirit

3) The Graces we receive in Baptism, are strengthen, and brought to maturity, when we are confirmed

4) Our union with Christ is nurse and made stronger every time we receive Jesus really present in the Eucharist.

Members of the Mystical Body

All Sacraments in the Church are meeting with Christ and united us more fully to Him.

In giving gifts in the Sacraments, and all activities at the Church, the Holy Spirit has one purpose:

“TO BUILD THE BODY OF CHRIST.”

This means to make Christ more fully present on the world.

We are members of the Mystical Body of Christ

After Jesus ascended into heaven the apostles & disciples started to do all things that…

{Jesus did while He was in earth}, after they received the Holy Spirit

It is the same today, as it was then, The Father and the Son pour out the Holy Spirit upon each of us, and the whole Church…

So that we can become members of His BODY,

and continue His PRESENCE and Work in the World.

Jesus is Head of the Church

Jesus need us, and wants to come in contact with others through us.

We are literally Jesus' feet, hands, and hearth in the world today.

Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:24-27 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes

them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 

There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit,

to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers,

to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines

1 Corinthians 1:24-27 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts

form one body, so it is with Christ. 

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 

And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 

1 Corinthians 1:24-27

But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be... there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 

… God has put the body together, that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

THE CHURCH The Mytical Body of Christ