Christ's call establishes the Church
Catechesis by Pope John Paul II on the Church
General Audience, Saturday 20 July 1991 - in Italian & Spanish
"1. In the present catechesis, which continues our introduction to ecclesiology, we want to analyze briefly the term "Church," which comes to us from the Gospel and from the very word used by Christ. In this way we are following a very classical way of studying things, the first stage of which is to investigate the meaning of terms used to designate those things. For a great and ancient institution such as the Church, which is our concern here, it is important to know what her founder called her, because that name already expresses his thought, his plan, his creative idea.
We are told by the Gospel of Matthew that when Jesus, in response to Peter's confession of faith, announced the establishment of "his Church"--"Upon this rock I will build my Church" (Mt 16:18)--he employed a term whose common usage at the time and in various passages of the Old Testament allows us to discover its semantic value. It must be said that the Greek text of Matthew's Gospel uses here the express mou ten ekklesÃan. This word ekklesÃa was used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Bible dating from the second century B.C.) to translate the Hebrew qahà l and the corresponding Aramaic qahalà , which Jesus probably used in his response to Simon Peter. This fact is the point of departure for our lexical analysis of Jesus' announcement.
2. Both the Hebrew term qahà l and the Greek ekklesÃa mean "gathering, assembly." EkklesÃa is etymologically related to the Greek verb kalein , which means "to call." In Semitic speech the word meant, in practice, "assembly" ("called together"), and it was used in the Old Testament to designate the "community" of the chosen people, especially in the desert (cf. Dt 4:10; Acts 7:38).
In Jesus' day the word was still being used. One notes, in particular, that in a text from the Qumran sect regarding the war of the sons of darkness, the expression qehál 'El , "assembly of God," is used along with others like it on military insignia (1 QM 5:10). Jesus, too, used the term to speak of "his" messianic community, that new assembly called together through the covenant in his blood, the covenant proclaimed in the upper room (cf. Mt 26:28).
3. In both Semitic and Greek usage, the assembly received its character from the will of the one who convoked it and the purpose for which he called it. Both in Israel and in the ancient Greek city-states ( pòleis ) various assemblies were called, those of a profane nature (political, military or professional), as well as those which were religious and liturgical. The Old Testament also mentions various types of assemblies. But when it speaks of the community of the Chosen People it emphasizes the religious and even theocratic nature of those people who have been called together, by explicitly proclaiming that they belong to the one God. For this reason, it considers the entire people of Israel to be the qahà l of Yahweh and calls them such, precisely because they are Yahweh's "special possession, dearer than all other people" (Ex 19:5). It is an altogether special belonging to and relationship with God, based on the covenant made with him and on acceptance of the commandments given to them by intermediaries between God and the people at the moment of their call, which Sacred Scripture designates precisely as "the day of the assembly," yòm haqqahà l (cf. Dt 9:10; 10:4). This feeling of belonging spans Israel's whole history and perdures, in spite of repeated betrayals and the recurrence of crises and defeats. It is a question of a theological truth continued in history, to which the prophets appeal in times of disappointment, like deutero-Isaiah. He said to Israel in the name of God, toward the end of the exile, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine" (Is 43:1). This is an announcement that in virtue of the old covenant he will soon intervene to free his people.
4. This covenant with God, the result of his own choice, gives a religious character to the entire people of Israel and a transcendent purpose to their whole history, even though its earthly course experiences good times and bad. This fact explains the biblical language which calls Israel "the assembly of God," qehál Elohim (cf. Neh 13:1), and more frequently qehál Yahweh (cf. Dt 23:2-4, 9). It is the permanent awareness of a belonging based on the election of Israel by God made in the first person: "You shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people.... You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation" (Ex 19:5-6).
It is scarcely necessary to recall here, still in the context of word analysis, that among the people of the Old Testament, out of great respect for the proper name of God, qehál Yahweh was read as qehál Adonai , "the assembly of the Lord." For this reason it was also translated in the Septuagint as ekklesÃa Kyriou; we would say "the Church of the Lord."
5. It should also be noted that the writers of the Greek text of the New Testament followed the Septuagint translation. This fact explains why they call the new People of God (the new Israel) ekklesÃa , just as they refer the Church to God. St. Paul frequently speaks of the "Church of God" (cf. 1 Cor 1:2; 10:32; 15:9; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:13), or the "churches of God" (cf. 1 Cor 11:16; 1 Thess 2:14; 2 Thess 1:4). By this usage he emphasizes the continuity of the Old and New Testaments, even to the point of calling Christ's Church "the Israel of God" (Gal 6:16). However, St. Paul will soon achieve a way to formulate the realities of the Church founded by Christ, as when Paul speaks of the Church "in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 1:1), or the "Church of God in Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 2:14). In the Letter to the Romans, he even speaks of the "churches of Christ" (Rom 16:16) in the plural, having in mind--and keeping his eye on--the local Christian churches, as in Palestine, Asia Minor and Greece.
6. This progressive development in language assures us that in the first Christian communities the newness of Christ's words--"Upon this rock I will build my Church" (Mt 16:16)--gradually becomes clearer. The words of Isaiah's prophecy are now applied to this Church in a new sense with greater depth: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine" (Is 43:1). This "divine calling together" is the work of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God; he establishes and builds "his" Church as a "calling together of all people in the new covenant." He chooses a visible foundation for this Church and entrusts to Peter the mandate of governing her. This Church, therefore, belongs to Christ and will always remain his. This is the conviction of the first Christian communities; this is their faith in the Church of Christ.
7. As one can see, from the terminological and conceptual analysis which can be made of the New Testament texts, there are already results which bear on the meaning of the Church. We can synthesize what we have seen so far in the following assertion: the Church is the new community of individuals, instituted by Christ as a "calling together" of all those called to be part of the new Israel in order to live the divine life, according to the graces and demands of the covenant established by the sacrifice of the cross. This calling together entails for each one a call which requires a response of faith and cooperation in the purpose of the new community, determined by him who gives the call: "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit..." (Jn 15:16). This is the source of the Church's connatural dynamism, which has an immense field of activity, because it is a calling to belong to him who wishes to "sum up all things in Christ" (Eph 1:10).
8. The purpose of this calling together is to be introduced into divine communion (cf. 1 Jn 1:3). The first step in achieving this goal consists in listening to the Word of God which the Church receives, reads and lives in the light which comes from on high, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, according to the promise Christ made to the apostles: "The Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you" (Jn 14:26). The Church is called and sent to bring the word of Christ and the gift of the Spirit to everyone: to all the people who will be the "new Israel," beginning with children, about whom Jesus said: "Let the children come to me" (Mt 19:14). But all are called, young and old, and among adults, persons of every condition. As St. Paul says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).
9. Finally, the goal of this calling together is an eschatological destiny, because the new people are completely oriented toward the heavenly community, as the first Christians knew and felt: "For here we have no lasting city; we are seeking one which is to come" (Heb 13:14). "We have our citizenship in heaven; it is from there that we eagerly await the coming of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil 3:20).
Our analysis of the name which Jesus gave to his Church has brought us to this transcendent and supernatural summit. It is the mystery of a new community of God's people, which includes, in the bond of the communion of saints, in addition to the faithful on earth who follow Christ along the way of the Gospel, those too who are completing their purification in purgatory, and the saints in heaven. We will discuss all of these points again in subsequent catecheses."
After the Catechesis, Papa Giovanni Paolo II greeted the pilgrims in various languages
Ai fedeli di lingua francese
Chers Frères et Sœurs,
Je salue très cordialement les pèlerins de langue française présents à cette audience. Aux Sœurs de Kermaria, j’offre mes vœux pour leur vie religieuse et mes encouragements pour leur apostolat.
Je vous souhaite à tous un bon séjour dans la Ville éternelle et j’espère que ce pèlerinage romain vous donnera la grâce d’être affermis dans la foi, l’espérance et la charité. A chacun d’entre vous, j’accorde de grand cœur ma Bénédiction Apostolique.
Ai pellegrini di espressione linguistica inglese
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I extend a warm welcome to the Sisters of the Holy Union taking part in their Renewal Programme. Dear Sisters, may your visit to the City of Saints Peter and Paul encourage you always to build your consecration and mission on the solid foundation of faith and trust in the Lord.
I also greet the members of Saint Alfred’s Parish in Hong Kong; and upon all the English-speaking visitors I invoke God’s abundant blessings.
Ai fedeli di lingua tedesca
Schwestern und Brüder!
Mit dieser kurzen Betrachtung grüße ich alle deutschsprachigen Pilger und Besucher sehr herzlich. Euch allen wünsche ich im Urlaub und in den Ferien gute Erholung an Leib und Seele und erteile Euch, Euren lieben Angehörigen in der Heimat sowie den mit uns über Rundfunk und Fernsehen verbundenen Gläubigen von Herzen meinen Apostolischen Segen.
Ai pellegrini di lingua spagnola
Saludo ahora muy cordialmente a todos los peregrinos y visitantes procedentes de los diversos Países de América Latina y de España.
En particular, a las Religiosas Adoratrices y a las Mercedarias del Santísimo Sacramento, a quienes aliento a una entrega generosa a Cristo y a la Iglesia, dando siempre testimonio de amor a los hermanos.
Mi cordial bienvenida al grupo Ciclista Colombiano y a los integrantes de la peregrinación organizada por la Revista General de los Cofrades Andaluces.
A todos bendigo de corazón.
Ai pellegrini di lingua portoghese
Caríssimos irmãos e irmãs,
Uma saudação cordial aos cadetes da Marinha brasileira, aos oficiais instrutores e restantes membros da tripulação do navio-escola “Brasil” que aqui se encontram. O mar imenso desvenda-vos a grandeza de Deus e as suas ondas revoltas falam-vos da necessidade de uma segurança mais poderosa do que as nossas frágeis garantias humanas. Que a Virgem Maria, Estrela do Mar, vos guie ao singrardes a vida no seguimento fiel a Cristo, com a minha Bênção Apostólica que de bom grado vos concedo, a vós e às vossas famílias.
Agli studenti partecipanti al corso “Aestiva Romae Latinitas”
Inter alia aestiva gaudia vehementer recreamur frequenti conspectu virorum mulierumque docentium et discentium omni ex orbe, qui unica quadam diligentia duos menses operam dant multiplicibus cotidianis cursibus linguae Latinae, quibus est nomen “Aestiva Romae Latinitas”. Vix satis studiose laudare celebrareque possumus adsiduum eorum opus, vivam ipsam linguae institutionem, varias legendi, scribendi, loquendi exercitationes.
Pro illo igitur amore, quo Nos ipsi hanc humanitatis Latinae disciplinam prosequimur, exoptamus ut quam copiosissimos fructus Romanae huius experientiae iidem participes hauriant sibi in complurium hominum scholarum nationum commoditatem, Deo opitulante semper suffragantibus Nobis.
Ai giovani, agli ammalati e agli sposi novelli
Nel porgere ora il mio saluto ai Giovani, ai Malati e alle coppie di Sposi Novelli, rivolgo anzitutto un pensiero grato agli Atleti della Parrocchia di Maria Santissima del Carmine in Preturo di Montoro Inferiore (Arcidiocesi di Salerno), che hanno compiuto un Pellegrinaggio a Lourdes, e ai ragazzi dell’“Unione Ciclistica Curnasco-Happy Car-Huni” della Parrocchia dei SS. Nazario e Celso in Curnasco (Diocesi di Bergamo).
Saluto, inoltre, i membri dell’Associazione Donatori di Sangue della Fincantieri di Castellammare di Stabia e la delegazione della Chiesa Matrice di Gela (Diocesi di Piazza Armerina), guidata dal Parroco, dal Sindaco, da alcuni Assessori del Comune e da membri del Consiglio Pastorale Parrocchiale, presenti in questa Udienza.
Cari giovani, il periodo estivo è tempo di viaggi, di turismo, di pellegrinaggio e spesso di campi-scuola o di lavoro.
Si tratta di momenti preziosi per conoscere e comunicare idee ed esperienze, e per testimoniare la propria fede in un dialogo aperto, cordiale, ispirato a carità.
Auguro ai malati che il tempo dell’estate porti conforto e sollievo, mentre invito ciascuno ad essere sempre consapevole della forza salvifica della sofferenza.
Ai giovani sposi esprimo l’auspicio che sappiano annunciare con gioia e convinzione la “buona novella” della famiglia cristiana, testimoniando l’importanza della sua missione nella Chiesa e nella società.
A tutti la mia benedizione apostolica.
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