My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The ninth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” There are thirty-five (35) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 809.
Mother Church is likened to a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 2:21; Jude 1:20). The temple is Gods’ dwelling place and the place where God’s people offer worship and adoration (cf. 1 Kings 6:3, 5; Ezekiel 48:8-22). While we often, and rightly so, focus our attention on the Eucharistic presence of the Lord in the tabernacle, when we consider the Church as the temple of the Holy Spirit we should consider not only the physical structures were the Holy Mass is offered but also remember that the living stones (cf. 1 Peter 2:5) who make up the Church are only living stones thanks to the presence of the Holy Spirit in them, us.
When studying living being, plants, animals, ourselves, the principle of life has been identified as the soul. Without the soul there is no life. Three (3) sorts of souls have been identified: vegetative (plants); sensitive (animals); rational (human beings). Because Mother Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, not a mystical corpse, she too has a soul or principle of life, namely, the Holy Spirit.
As the “soul of the Church” the Holy Spirit gives life to the Church as was so evident on the first Pentecost, the 50th day after Easter (cf. Acts 2:1-4). As a human body has many parts, each doing its part, so too the body of Christ which is the Church. It is the Holy Spirit who has organized and keeps all the various members of the Church alive in faith and grace, working together in harmony as the Kingdom is built up (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:4-27). In this way we can see the Holy Spirit as the principle of the unity in diversity of Mother Church.
The Holy Spirit lavishes so many different gifts and charisms upon the Church. Saint Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit enumerates nine: apostles, prophets, doctors, miracle workers, healers, governors, speakers of tongues, interpreters of tongues (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28). There are further gifts and charisms given by the Holy Sprit. Consider the many Saints presented to us throughout the course of the liturgical year. Each of these received and acted upon gifts received from the Holy Spirit, not only for their own personal sanctity, holiness, but for the up building of Mother Church. When husbands and wives are faithful to each other in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, all the days of their lives, they are acting upon the gifts and graces given by God in Holy Marriage for the up building of the Church and society. Let us be grateful to God for His many gifts (cf. Isaiah 11:3).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr