141 / 665
Chapter 10. The Church: Reflecting the Light of Christ • 113
Trinity abides with the Church always, creatively and providentially. The
Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, brings Christ’s salvation to the
world. She is the instrument of God’s universal call to holiness. At the
same time, the Church is made up of a sinful people. Yet despite the
personal sinfulness of her members, the Church remains holy by the
presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit who permeates her.
MEANINGS OF THE WORD
CHURCH
The word
Church
is a translation of biblical words: the Hebrew word
qahal
, and the Greek word
ekklesia
, both of which mean “gathering of
people or community” for worship. It was first applied to the people of
Israel whom God called into existence. The Church is also called into
existence by God. Responding to the proclamation of the Gospel begun
by the Apostles, men and women embrace God’s gift of faith and through
Baptism become members of the community of the Church.
The word
Church
means the people gathered by God into one com-
munity, guided today by the bishops, who are the successors of the
Apostles and whose head is the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. The term
Church
also applies to specific geographical communities called dio-
ceses. It also applies to the buildings where the faithful gather for the
Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and to families, who are called
domestic churches.
PLANNED BY THE FATHER
How did the Church come to be?
From the beginning, the Church was part of God’s plan for sharing
his divine life with all people. There was a gradual formation of God’s
family through a series of events described in the Old Testament: God’s
covenant with Abraham as the father of a great people, the liberation
of ancient Israel from slavery in Egypt and their establishment in the
Promised Land, and their solidification as a nation through the kingship
of David.