Christ and the Church

The Mission Continues

Jesus did not rise from the dead and then vanish, leaving us with inspiring memories and vague moral teachings. He established a visible, living community that would carry His mission forward—not as a replacement for Him, but as an extension of Himself.

This community is the Church.

The Church is not a man-made organization that tries to keep Jesus’ legacy alive. It is the Body of Christ, animated by the Holy Spirit, and united to Christ as its Head. Through the Church, Jesus continues to teach, sanctify, and shepherd His people until the end of time.

The Church Is the Body of Christ

In the New Testament, St. Paul repeatedly calls the Church the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4). This is not just a metaphor. It expresses a real, living union.

• Christ is the Head of the Body.

• We are the members, joined to Him through baptism and faith.

• The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, uniting us in love.

When Saul is persecuting Christians, Jesus does not say, “Why are you hurting My followers?” He says,

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4)

To harm the Church is to harm Christ, because the Church is Christ’s Body in the world.

The Church as the Sacrament of Christ

Before we go further, it's important to understand what we mean by the word sacrament.

A sacrament is a visible and sensible sign of invisible grace—something that can be perceived through the senses and that communicates a deeper spiritual reality. In Catholic theology, sacraments are not just symbols. They actually confer what they signify. Through them, God acts in the world in a way that is both concrete and intelligible.

Whether it’s water poured in baptism, words spoken in absolution, or bread broken in the Eucharist, these signs are sensible expressions of divine action. They are how God meets us as human beings, through matter and meaning, body and spirit.

Just as Jesus Himself was the visible image of the invisible God, the Church is the visible sign and instrument of His continued presence and saving work.

This is why the Church is often called the “sacrament of salvation.” She is both a sign (pointing us to Christ) and an instrument (through which Christ gives grace).

In her:

• The Gospel is preached.

• The sacraments are celebrated.

• The poor are served.

• The community of faith is gathered.

• Christ is made present to the world.

“He who hears you, hears Me.” —Luke 10:16

Christ’s Threefold Office Continues

Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King, and He continues those roles through the Church.

Prophetic Office

Christ continues to teach through the Church’s preaching, catechesis, and apostolic Tradition.The Magisterium, guided by the Holy Spirit, safeguards the truth He revealed.

Priestly Office

Christ sanctifies through the sacraments, which He instituted and entrusted to the Church.In every valid baptism, Eucharist, and absolution, it is Christ who acts—through human ministers.

Kingly Office

Christ governs His Church, not by domination, but by service and truth.He exercises pastoral care through bishops, priests, and lay leaders, calling all into deeper union with God.

The Church Is a Communion

The Church is not just an institution. It is a communion of persons:

• United to Christ,

• United to one another,

• United across time and space.

This includes the communion of saints—those on earth, those being purified, and those in glory. It is one Body, with many members, held together in love.

To be a Christian is not just to believe in Jesus. It is to belong to His Body.

“We, though many, are one body in Christ.” —Romans 12:5

The Church Reflects the Communion of the Trinity

The Church is a communion of persons—horizontally, across the world and through history, and vertically, with the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.

This communion is not just functional or symbolic. It is a reflection of the very life of God.The Church, like the family, is an icon of the communion of persons in the Trinity.

• The Father loves the Son.

• The Son returns that love to the Father.

• The Holy Spirit is the bond of love between them.

God is not solitary. God is relationship.And we image Him most fully not in isolation, but in relationship—especially in love that is self-giving, faithful, and fruitful.

That is why marriage is not just a natural bond but a sacramental sign—a visible image of the love between Christ the Bridegroom and His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:25–32).

The Church is not only the Body of Christ. She is also the Bride, and her union with Him is spousal, covenantal, and life-giving.

To live in the Church is to participate in the deepest mystery of reality:

That we are created for communion,Saved into communion,And destined for eternal communion.

The Church Is Not Perfect—But She Is Holy

The humanity of the Church is visible. Her members sin. Her leaders fail. Her history is marked by both holiness and scandal. But she remains holy, not because her members are perfect, but because Christ is holy, and He remains faithful to her.

“The Church is holy, though having sinners in her midst, because she herself has no other life but the life of grace.” —Catechism, 827

Just as Christ took on real human flesh—subject to weakness, misunderstanding, and rejection—He still chooses to work through real human beings. The Church is both divine in her origin and human in her members, and Christ is present in both mystery and mercy.

Why This Matters

To love Jesus is to love His Body.

The Church is not an optional add-on to Christian faith. It is where we are baptized into Christ, nourished by His Body and Blood, forgiven in His name, and united in a communion that spans heaven and earth.

In an age that treats religion as personal preference, the Church reminds us that salvation is not just individual—it is ecclesial.We are not just saved from something. We are saved into something.Into a Body.Into a family.Into Christ.

“He is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.”—Colossians 1:18