| |
OL IX, June 2005, Washington, DC
"Structure of the Church East and West"
Bishop Nicholas Samra - "In
the Trinity there is a unity—three are one. So too in the Body of Christ,
the Church, there is one people, one family, and the unity of the many into
one. Each person is a unique individual, a “living stone” making up the body.
As one body the Church is a perfect unity of many persons into one united
organism and this reflects the Trinity itself. For the Church is the unity
of many distinct persons called to be one mind, one heart, one spirit, one
soul and one body in one truth and love which is God himself.
The Church is more than just “being” the Body of Christ. The members that
make up the body—all of us—are called to be God’s people but at the same time
to “do” something. We are all called to do God’s will and his work, and
through this to transform the world into the Kingdom of God. The Church
exists for this transformation of mankind.
As we look toward the structure of the Church we see in the image of the
Trinity, one God in three equal persons, that this Trinity has a parallel
in the members of the body. All become one, each with special gifts – may
I say “unity in diversity.” There is oneness and catholicity but united
and equal, and the bond of this union and equality is the Eucharist—the
celebration of the very body and blood of Christ himself."
|
|
