The Church

Our reading in the Catechism of the Catholic Church for next class teaches us a seemingly obvious but also extremely important lesson: that the Church is Holy. The church, according to this reading and to the authority of God, is unlike any other institution. It is special. It is sacred. It is defined as more than just the sum of its parts. Sure, the Church consists of typical parts like a leadership structure and a following body, but so do things like schools, families, cults, and clubs. The Catechism sets the Church apart because of its inherent, God-given holiness, Jesus’s blessing and His will.
The Catechism says, ““All members of the Church, including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners” because “In her members perfect holiness is something yet to be acquired.” We, as miniscule parts of the Church, are nothing. We are sin. We are bad except for our capacity to ask for forgiveness for our sins. What gives us the potential to be good lies within the Church and is namely our seeking to be a part of “her.” This really struck a chord with me because it reminds me of the power of the group to make us all into more than we are alone.