Church Healer and Reconciler, Essay Example

What stops the church from being a sign of Christ’s healing and reconciling power?

According to the article by Friedman in Catholic Update, the sacrament that is the Church is a sign from God that embodies grace and gives humans a connection to Him through their relationship with Christ. This sign is compared to other signs or symbols in life that humans cherish such as wedding rings. It is noted that it is people who make up the Church, which is a sign (or a sacrament), and each person in the Church is a necessary component of the Church. This is explained as the way that many people can be one people or one body as a sacrament (or sign) of unity and an instrument to bring about peace and grace in a unified fashion.

The article also states that what hinders the Church from being a sign of the healing and reconciling power of Christ is the fact that the Church is made up of humans, and humans are not perfect as Christ is perfect. There is no one who has not sinned and all are in need of redemption. Also, people in the Church act “human” at times with attitude problems and personality defects, and these things are definitely flawed. In addition, there are a myriad of different perceptions from different points of view within the Church, from the clergy to the congregation. Other flaws within the Church may include such problems as greed, abuse of power, and corruption. These are all reasons why the Church lacks in its mission of striving to perfection but misses the mark. Christ’s healing and reconciling power is only possible through the Church, by way of his forgiveness and love and the submission of humanity to Christ’s healing power for reconciliation and renewal.

How is the Church a sign and instrument of Christ’s healing and reconciling power? What does it mean to be a Eucharistic people?

The Church is a sign and instrument of the healing and reconciling power of Christ because it represents oneness. The Church is made up of many individuals who are reconciled together in unity as one body in Christ. The people’s connection with God through Christ is through the Church, which is the sign. The instrument is the people that make up the Church, but all as one body. God uses the Church (or the people) to communicate and connect with those who need reconciliation and healing, and the power to achieve this comes from Christ, who is the head of the Church. Even though the Church is not perfect, because mankind is not perfect, the Church is still the sign of Christ and mankind’s connection to God.

Eucharistic people hold strong to their faith and the practice of the Holy Communion which centers on the signs of bread and wine that symbolize His body and blood. It is believed that Christ gave the Eucharist to the Church as a gift that has transcended time and has served as a bond between Him and the Church through the ages. Eucharistic people perform the holy ritual of communion in remembrance of Christ and His sacrifice to mankind. These people often contemplate Christ and are able to recognize His presence as manifestations in various forms. When the communion is practiced, it allows people to think about Christ and how their own lives can be better by way of being better people. The Eucharist is a sacrament that is cherished by Christians and is a main component of the Church, and it is also a celebration of the sacrifice that Christ made for the souls of mankind.