LIVING STONES | KAIROS GLOBAL | SEPTEMBER 2021

Author: Anil Israel

Intro: We are called to be living stones, to put our God given talents and charisms for God’s glory. Anil Israel reflects with Scripture.

It is good to learn that the word Christian is already mentioned in the Bible. In Antioch, the disciples were for the first time called Christians (Acts 11:26). Christians are those who consider themselves to be a follower of the Way (Acts 24:14) of Christ. 

Just like Muslims go to mosques, Hindus visit temples and Jews gather in synagogues, we say the ‘place of worship’ for the Christians is the church. The English word ‘church’ is derived from the Greek Kryiakon meaning ‘The Lord’s House’. The Greek word ecclesia refers to the ‘people of God’. 

In 1 Corinthians 15:9 Paul says that he had persecuted the church of God – the congregation of believers. In Acts Chapter 9 verse 4, we hear Jesus asking: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ Further in verse 5 we read Saul asking Jesus ‘Who are you, Lord?’ and Jesus replies: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting’. Although Saul was persecuting the Christians – who were followers of Christ, yet Jesus equates persecution of Christians to himself. How beautiful for us to be identified so close to our Lord and Saviour. 

The church is not only a building made with stones – a place where the faithful gather, but also a building made with living flesh. We believers are the living stones (1Peter 2:5) in God’s temple. The Church is therefore the Mystical body of Christ. He [Christ] is the head of the body, the Church (Colossians 1:18). All of you are Christ’s body and each of you is a part of it (1Corinthinans 12:27). We are members of his body (Ephesians 5:30). We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions. In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body (Romans 12:4-5).

In the Nicene Creed, we profess: ‘We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church’.  These are the four marks of the Church. The Church is ‘one’ for three reasons: first, because of its source, which is the Holy Trinity, a perfect unity of three divine persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit; second, because of its founder, Jesus Christ, who came to reconcile all mankind through the sacrifice on the cross; and third, because of its ‘soul’, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the souls of the faithful, who unites all of the faithful into one communion of believers, and who guides the Church (CCC #813). The ‘oneness’ of the Church is also visible through the profession of one faith received from the apostles and common celebration of divine worship especially the sacraments.

The Church is holy because it is the Body of Christ with Jesus as the head. This does not mean that all members of the Church are sin free. It means that the Church and her sacraments help to make the faithful holy. 

The word ‘catholic’ means ‘universal’. The Church exists for the whole of humanity. This universality embraces a multitude of liturgical expressions and traditions visible in the various rites within the Catholic Church. 

The Church is apostolic. The Church’s existence is rooted in the apostles, upon whom Jesus established his Church. On this rock (Peter) I will build My church (Matthew 16:18). Further the Church is apostolic in nature as she ‘exists to evangelize’ (Evangelii Nuntiandi #14) – responding to the ‘great commission’ to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). 

The Church is a union of the faithful on earth (Church Militant), the saints in heaven (Church Jubilant) and the suffering souls in Purgatory (Church Suffering). This is what we believe to be the communion of saints.

The call to Christianity is a call to be a living member of the mystical body of Christ. To be a living member, we need to respond to the call to love and the call to be holy. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength… You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:30-31). Be holy, for I am holy (1Peter 1:16). Be merciful, as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). In short, as part of the Body of Christ, we are all called to imitate Christ (cf. Ephesians 5:1; 1Corinthians 11:1). 

Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25). Here, the Church is portrayed as the Bride of Christ. The mystical body of Christ is also the ‘Bride of the Lamb’ (cf. Revelation 19:7). In our pursuit of Christ-like perfection, we are also called to enter the narrow path of self-denial – letting go of our self-centeredness and embracing other-centeredness. For we do not belong to ourselves (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19), we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8). Like St. Paul, let us also learn to say, It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20). 

In our imitation of Christ, we are called to put on the apron of humility. St. Benedict teaches us that the first step of humility is unhesitating obedience. Those who consecrate themselves to the religious way of life take the holy vow of obedience. Likewise, we too are encouraged to embrace willful obedience, not out of a sense of duty but out of love for Christ, just as Christ was obedient unto death (Philippians 2:8). 

We are to obey not only the Ten Commandments, but also the precepts of the Church: to attend Holy Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, to confess our sins at least once a year, to receive Holy Communion at least during Easter season, to observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence, to provide for the needs of the Church, to observe the Laws of the Church concerning marriage and to participate in the Church’s mission of evangelisation of souls.

To be a living stone, I must consciously choose to play my active part in any ministry, by putting to use my God given talents and charisms for his Glory. I can opt to offer my service as an altar server, a choir member, a lector, an Eucharistic minister, participating in various parish initiatives or by joining one of the active groups in my local parish. CH_ _CH is nothing if UR is not in it.

The Church is also a mother, because she gives birth to us in faith. May we fervently intercede to Mary, Mother of the Church, to help us to grow in the virtue of obedience. May she who was obedient to the Father’s will, teach us to always say, ‘Yes Lord!’ (John 11:27) with an obedient heart (Luke 8:15).

Anil Israel lives in Mannheim, Germany, with his wife Sunitha and their 5 children. He is the current National Formation Coordinator of JY Germany.