The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 106: Symbols of the Church

Episode Date: April 16, 2023

There are many different symbols of the Church that can help us to understand it. We learn some of these symbols today, including a sheepfold, a cultivated field, the building of God, the spotless lamb, the bride of Christ, and our mother. Fr. Mike reminds us that, like us, the Church on earth needs constant reform. Jesus loves the Church and gave himself up for her. If we have any hostility or indifference toward the Church, we must check our hearts and pray to love what God loves. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 753-757. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

I'm your name is Father Mike Schmitz and you're listening to The Catechism in a Year Podcast, where we encounter God's plan of your goodness for us, revealed in Scripture, and passed down through the tradition of the Catholic faith. The Catechism in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. In 365 days, we'll read through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, discovering our identity and God's families. We journey together toward our heavenly home. This is day 106. We reading paragraphs 753 to 757, as always, the translation, the addition of the Catechism using, I think this yesterday too. My mind went to the Bible in a year.

I'm using the Catech, the ascension addition of the Catechism, which includes the foundations of faith approach, but you can follow along with any recent version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You can also download your Catechism and your reading plan by visiting ascensionpress.com slash cyy. And also you know you can click follow you can click subscribe and your past podcast app for daily updates and daily notifications today is day one or six. As I said, we were reading paragraphs seven 53 to seven 57 yesterday. We talked about about the words,

not only the source of the church being the sun and the spirit, but also how the church is holy, Catholic, she's one, she's apostolic, that word ecclesia, what means the call to call out of. And word Kierka or church means what belongs to the Lord, we talked about how you and I belong to the Lord now. We also highlighted the three levels, or three designations of the Lord, we talked about how you and I belong to the Lord now. We also highlighted the three kind of like levels, or three designations of the church, meaning the liturgical assembly, the local community, which can be parish or diocese, and the whole universal community of believers. And those three meanings are inseparable. Now today, we have a little bit, it's more poetic, we'll say, it's the symbols of the

church. And so, throughout scripture, there's a whole host, this is a paragraph 753, in scripture, we find a house of interrelated images and figures through which revelation speaks of the inexhaustible mystery of the church. And so those are taken up, they begin in the Old Testament and they are fulfilled in the New Testament. So the images are pretty straightforward. I don't know if any of these images are going to be shocks to anybody, but first of all, we have the Church is the sheepfold, right? And the necessary gateway, the only gateway to the sheepfold is Christ. And so it's also the flock, right?

So that sense of just the imagery of Jesus as the good shepherd and the Prince of Shepherd, who gives his life for a sheep. So first is the sheepfold. Second is the image of the church as a cultivated field. And there's this image, it goes on to say in paragraph 75, it says, the tillage of God on that land, the ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the prophets, and in which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about again. And so as I said, there seems to be certain times in the catechism, just a poetic strain. And this is, this is one of those times. So we have the sheepfold

in that flock, right, of the Lord. We also have the cultivated field, the tillage of God, this, this, this land that God will continue to bring forth fruit, where he will continue to bring forth fruit. Also, remember the image of divine and the branches. And so Jesus is the true vine. And he gives life and fruitfulness to the branches. That is to us. And going on, paragraph 756, talks about the church as the building of God. Specifically, the best of buildings is the temple, like the temple of God, the Holy Temple. And not only do we have that in the Old Testament, the foreshadowed. We also have that in the New Testament where John sees that holy temple, the holy city, the New Jerusalem coming out of heaven and living stones are Christians, right? Living stones are you and me. So we're part of that temple, that holy

building. And lastly, and this is the shortest one, which is just remarkable because there's a couple different images. We talk about not only the church as the Jerusalem that is from above, so it's the city of Jerusalem in this unique way. It's also our mother and also described as the bride of Christ, right? The spotless spouse of the spotless lamb. And so those three images are simply kind of referenced, but they're not really dived into deeply. And so just keep in mind, we might talk about the,

at the end of the day today, the New Jerusalem, our mother is the church, and also the spotless spouse, the bride of Christ as the church. As we go into these images, as we begin talking about, and just reflecting on these symbols, these images of the church, I think it's important for us to assess, maybe say it like this, to actually stop and say, okay, as we're talking about the church, do I have any, are any defenses, defenses,

defenses? Are there any defenses that have been stirred up? Are there any hackles, right? On the back of my neck, that kind of whenever people mention the church, that's where I start getting defensive. Because I think if that's the case, then we just have to recognize that. That's possible. And in fact, it might even be likely

because, again, as I said yesterday, God is good. There is no darkness in God. And yet, the church, although the church is good, we sometimes have a harder time with the church. Not just because of the sinful members of the church, but also because, isn't it strange how God can seem distant? And so because God can seem distant, sometimes, and this might not be you, but sometimes because God can seem distant, it's just easier to accept Him. But if He was like right up and close, and in our faces, we might find it more difficult to accept him.

And here's the church. Here's the church that not only is divine, but also has broken humanity in it, that also has a great track record, but also a really bad track record. There's great incredible saints who have lived up to the church's teachings. There's also incredible sinners like you and me who have not lived up to the church's teachings. But there's this unique thing about the church and that is that the church is close. The church is kind of in our face and the church continues to teach us. And because of that sometimes I know in my own pride and my own brokenness I can get defensive to have course oh everything about God I accept. But here's this church that is so close and it is so close that it actually makes demands

on me. And that's when I start getting a little bit, whatever the word is. That's when I start getting a little defensive. That makes sense. So, if we just acknowledge that, if that's a reality in your life or in my life today, we're just going to come before the Lord and ask the source of the church, the Father's Son and Holy Spirit to help us to be open to being taught. We're going to pray right now for Dacility, Father in Heaven. You've called us. You are the

teacher. Your son is the teacher. He's the great teacher. And you've given us through your son and the power of the Holy Spirit, the church as our mother and our teacher. And so we just ask you to help us to have minds and hearts that are open just ask you to help us to have minds and hearts that are open to being taught, help us to have minds and hearts that are open to your church in a way that maybe they haven't been opened before. We ask you to please give you permission, help us to give you permission to draw close to us

in your church, to teach us through your church, and give us a willingness to trust you in your church. We know we can't always trust the members of the church. We can't even trust ourselves, Lord God. We do trust you. You'll never lead your church astray. You'll never abandon her, even in her brokenness. So give us hearts, give us minds that are open to being taught and hearts that are open to you in your church. Give us this grace, give us this Holy Spirit this day and every day. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the name of the Father's Son and Holy Spirit, amen.

As I said, it's day 106, wearating Paragraphs 753-757. Symbols of the Church In Scripture, we find a host of interrelated images and figures through which revelation speaks of the inexhaustible mystery of the church. The images taken from the Old Testament are variations on a profound theme, the people of God. In the New Testament, all these images find a new center because Christ has become the head of this people which henceforth is his body. Around this center are grouped images taken from the life of the shepherd or from the cultivation of the land, from the art of building or from family life and marriage. The church is, accordingly, a sheepfold, the sole and necessary gateway to which is Christ.

It is also the flock of which God Himself foretold that He would be the shepherd, and whose sheep, even though governed by human shepherds, are unfailingly nourished and led by Christ Himself, the good shepherd and prince of shepherds, who gave His life for His sheep. The church is a cultivated field, the tillage of God. On that land, the ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the prophets, and in which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about, and will be brought about again. That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly cultivator.

Yet, the true vine is Christ, who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches that is to us, who through the church remain in Christ, without gives life and fruitfulness to the branches that is to us, who through the church remaining Christ, without whom, we can do nothing. Often too, the church is called the building of God. The Lord compared Himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but which was made into the cornerstone. On this foundation, the church is built by the apostles and from it the church receives solidity and unity.

This edifice has many names to describe it, the house of God in which his family dwells, the household of God in the Spirit, the dwelling place of God among men, and especially the Holy Temple. This temple, symbolized in places of worship built out of stone, is praised by the fathers, and not without reason is compared in the liturgy to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. As living stones, we hear on earth are built into it. It is this Holy City that is seen by John as it comes down out of heaven from God when

the world is made anew, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. The church further, which is called that Jerusalem which is above and our mother, is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb. It is she whom Christ loved and for whom he delivered himself up that he might sanctify her. It is she whom he unites to himself by an unbreakable alliance and whom he constantly nourishes and cherishes. Okay, so there we have it. Paragraphs, a 753 to 757, just a few short paragraphs, but also these profound images. You know, I kind of introduced all of those images

as we kind of went into it, the sheepfold through whom again, Christ is the only, the soul and necessary gateway. We know that Jesus is the one savior. There's no salvation through any other name and no salvation through any other person in the world. And so we recognize that here's the sheepfold. We're the flock of Christ. He is the shepherd, the good shepherd, the Prince of Shepherds. Why? He's the one who gave his life for his sheep. He has got himself. Also paragraph 755, the cultivated field. And again, we just recognize, here's these images that,

any old Testament or begun, but are fulfilled in Jesus, who points out that he is the true vine, and we are the branches, and we can only bear fruit. We can only have a life if we remain in Christ, in that word of the Lord's who said, without whom we can do nothing. We have to remain in said, without whom we can do nothing. We have to remain in Christ, without whom we can do nothing. I love the image also of the church as the building of God.

And Jesus compares himself to the stone rejected by the builders who's become the cornerstone. But also St. Peter describes this as living stones built into this holy temple of God. It is just incredible. But these last images, the last images that are the New Jerusalem and our mother and the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb, the bride of Christ, are also so important. I mean, they're... Remember back in the Old Testament, when here is the Lord God who speaks to the people of Israel. And he says, you know, your builder has become your spouse.

There is this love, you know, remember how often, how often are the sins of idolatry and adultery linked, where he was God himself who says, I love you. I've loved you like a spouse and yet you've turned away from me like an adulterous lover. In that recognition of you here and now in the new covenant, there was this fulfillment of this, right? Where where Jesus is the bridegroom and the church is his bride. Now, this goes back to the last kind of note I made before we talked, started talking about the church. And that the reality of course is that, I guess I'll say it like this, we can be justly upset with the church, right? We can be justly upset with bureaucracy.

We can be justly upset with hierarchy and people in power. We can be justly upset with our pastor. You can be upset with me. I mean, that's a reality. We can be upset with the Holy Father, like, you know, the Pope. We can be upset with the. I mean, that's a reality. We can be upset with the holy father, like, you know, the Pope. We can, we can be upset with the failings of people in the church. Absolutely. So I'm not arguing that. I'm not even, I would say that we need

to be, right? We need to constantly be reforming the church. The church always is in constant, just like individuals, right? As us in the church are constantly looking at ourselves and saying, okay, where am I? where have I said, no to God? Where am I not saying yes with my whole heart? Where am I not representing Him to the people around me? So just like we do that, we're constantly reforming ourselves or being reformed by the Lord in His grace.

The church has to do that. And since we're part of the church, that means we have to actively do this. So again, I'm not saying that criticism is not warranted at times. In fact, it might even be our role at times as those who are repenting and those who are pointing out where our brothers and sisters need to repent. Right? So I'm not saying that is a bad thing. That's that's necessary. At the same time,

I will hear from many people who have said, you know, this journey of the catechism is a challenge. It was easier to hear the Bible, the words of God. I'm not so sure I love the church. I get that. Remember we said yesterday we don't believe in the church, believe in God. The church is merely God's works, but also the church is God's bride. The church has been given to us as our mother. And so let's look at this for a second. If I were to say, ah, hate the Church. Well, what did St. Paul say about what Christ did for the Church?

He loved her and gave himself up for her. That's what's quoted here in paragraph 757. He loved her and he deliver delivered himself up for her. That he may present to himself a spotless bride, they may sanctify her. And so let's just take a moment, you know, especially as we dive more deeply into this teaching on the church, say, wait a second, God, we've always prayed this. We've always prayed, right? God, give me heart like yours.

Help me to hate what you hate. Help me to hate what you hate. Help me to love what you love. And if I'm someone who says, oh, I hate the church, I have to pause, I have to prompt the breaks here. Because Jesus, Jesus Christ word, God's word says, that He loves the church. And He gave Himself up for her.

And so I just have to, again, maybe just, again, check ourselves. Check our hearts, especially if we have the hostility, especially if we have this hatred, or anger, or indifference. You know, John Paul II, I believe at one point he said, the opposite of love isn't hate, the opposite of love is indifference, or opposite of love is use. So I approach the church and say, yeah, it's just I'm in different or, yeah, come to the church because it gets me what I want.

Yet, how does Christ approach the church? He approaches the church in love. Again, so as we continue to walk, we have a few days where we're gonna walk through the church's teaching on the church. I don't wanna be a broken record. I apologize, but I think it's worth it to just check our hearts and say, God, if I were to be the kind of person, and I have been, I've got to tell you this in my life, I was

the kind of person who said, I hate the church. And I'm going to be the kind of person who hates the church. Have to understand what that means. It means I don't love what God loves. It means I don't love what God loves. But we want to, right? Every one of us. So let's pray for each other because there are a lot of wounds out there. I mean, obviously there's so many wounded hearts out there, wounded lives and lives that have been hurt again through people in the church, maybe even again through bureaucracy, through hierarchy.

And so we got to pray for that. We can't afford to hate what God loves. You know what I mean? Let's pray for each other. I'm praying for you. Please know. I know woundedness. I know.

I'm. I. If I don't know your wounds, I know what they could be. Because I've been around, I've been around long enough to know. So we're praying for each other. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike.

I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless. you