22. Once the Christian is conformed to Christ in love, his life becomes an ecclesial existence; live in and with the Church. We see ourselves in the mirror that is Christ and just as Christ gathers all believers to Himself, so we come to see ourselves as in an important relationship with all other believers. As St. Paul tells the Romans, all who believe in Christ make up one body. We are one, but we don’t lose our individuality. We become the best of ourselves when we serve others. Faith is necessarily ecclesial. Faith that is separate from the Church cannot find its equilibrium; it cannot sustain itself. Faith is no private matter. As St. Paul puts it: “one believes with the heart. . .and confesses with the lips.” Faith must be proclaimed. For “how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?” When faith operates in the Body of Christ (the Church), we become part of the Church’s life throughout history until the end of time. “For those who have been transfored in this way, a new way of seeing opens up, faith becomes light for their eyes.
So, now we are finished with Chapter One. Monday, we will begin Chapter Two. Hope you are enjoying this. I am!
Dr. Linda L. Powell 