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First Quarter

ILK – TOPIC 3 The Essential Characteristics of the Life of the Church

The Church possesses certain traits that make it possible for one to recognize its
true nature. We call these as dynamic endowments which the Church is graced by the
Holy Spirit and perceived only in faith. These are gifts and tasks closely linked with one
another and are directly related to Christ.

HUMAN EXPERIENCE

On Becoming the Kind of Person Every Team Wants

Developing a better team always begins with you. To improve the team, improve
the individual members of the team. You can become a better team member by
embracing the qualities that will qualify you to be a team leader or a team head.

Here are some of the qualities you can adopt to become an excellent team player:

1. Adaptable - if you won't change for the team the team may change you.
2. Collaborative - working together precedes winning together.
3. Committed - there are no half-hearted champions.
4. Communicative - a team is many voices with a single heart.
5. Competent - if you can't, your team can't.
6. Dependable - teams go to go-to players.
7. Disciplined - where there's will, there's a win.
8. Enlarging - adding value to teammates is invaluable.
9. Enthusiastic - your heart is the source of energy for the team.
10. Intentional - make every action count.
11. Mission Conscious - the (big) picture is coming in loud and clear. 12. Prepared
- preparation can mean the difference between winning and losing. 13.
Relational - if you get along, others will go along.
14. Self- Improving - to improve the team, improve yourself.
15. Selfless - there is no "I" in team.
16. Solution Oriented - make a resolution to find the solution.
17. Tenacious - never, never, never quit.

17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player, John C. Maxwell

 "Give yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, pleasing to God." Rom. 12:1
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ACTIVITIES

A. Answer the following questions.

1. If you are to rate the qualities listed on the previous page, which quality do you
think should be the first and which should be the last? Cite the reasons for your
choices.
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2. Do you agree with this statement: "You can effectively teach only what you
consistently model?" Why yes? Why no?
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B. What one quality or characteristic should the members of the teams found below
possess for them to accomplish their purpose? Complete the diagram below.
Team Purpose Characteristic/Quality

1. Family

2. Sports team

3. Quiz team

4. Barangay

5. Church

The qualities or characteristics we have define us. They show others who
we are, what our mission is and how we intend to accomplish it.
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READING THE MESSAGE

 Just as Jesus and the Father are one, we too, in the Church are.

We Are One

Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory
to Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify You, just as You gave Him authority over all
people, so that He may give eternal life to all You gave Him. Holy Father, keep them in
Your name that You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. When I was
with them I protected them in Your name that You gave me, and I guarded them, and
none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be
fulfilled. But now I am coming to You. I speak this in the world so that they may share my
joy completely. I gave them Your word, and the world hated them, because they do
not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take
them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to
the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word
is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate
Myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. I pray not only for them,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one,
as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in us, that the world may
believe that You sent Me. And I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they
may be one, as We are one, I in them and You in Me, that they may be brought to
perfection as one, that the world may know that You sent Me, and that You loved them
even as You loved Me."
Jn. 17:1-2; 11-23

LEARNING THE MESSAGE

The Essential Qualities of the life of the Church

Each person possesses qualities that make him or her stand out from the rest.
These qualities do not only distinguish one person from another, they also help the
person achieve his or her purpose in life. For example, a singer with an exceptionally
beautiful voice can easily rise above others and shine. At the same time he or she is
able to realize her dream and accomplish her or his mission in life by singing.

What is true of persons is true of organizations. Each organization is defined by the

qualities it possesses. These qualities are largely defined by the mission of the
organization: For example, a socio-civic organization is characterized by its members
who belong either to the political or intellectual elite and who are economically well-
off. These characteristics found in the members of socio-civic organizations are needed
so that they can mount projects that will uplift the life of the poor.
 The Church as an "organization" also possesses certain qualities. But since the
Church is not simply a social organization but a communion of men and women under
Christ, she possesses unique qualities that are essential in the fulfillment of her mission—
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the salvation of humankind. The essential qualities are: One, Holy, Catholic, and
Apostolic.

The essential qualities are not a product of the Church's efforts nor does the
Church possess them of herself. Rather these qualities are given to the Church by Christ
through the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is Christ who "makes the Church One, Holy, Catholic, and
Apostolic, it is He who calls her to realize each of these qualities" (cf. CCC 811).

These four marks were used by the early Church to distinguish itself from all other
religions sects. Today, however, there is greater emphasis placed on the dynamic
quality of these four marks. This means that besides being gifts endowed by the Holy
Spirit to the Church, they are also tasks that the Church must continually and
consistently pursue if she is to accomplish her mission. Besides this dynamic quality, there
also exists an essential link among the four qualities. This means that one quality paves
the way for the development of the other qualities. Thus, "unity in the Church leads to
holiness and catholicity while "apostolic" is seen as the origin and means for realizing the
other three" (CFC 1390).

The four essential qualities of the Church, namely, One, Holy, Catholic, and
Apostolic are essential in the fulfillment of her mission. These qualities are
given by Christ to the Church through the Holy Spirit.

The Church is One

Unity, as an essential quality of the life of the Church flows from the fact that her
origins can be traced to the Trinity. Her life and her continuous growth she owes from the
One Living God in Three Persons: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. The Father laid the
foundation for the establishment of the Church by His wonderful deeds in the Old
Testament. God's act of unifying the people of Israel prefigures the unity that He
envisions for the Church.

Jesus Christ, on the other hand, as the founder of the Church affirms the unity
envisioned by the Father when He came to redeem and unify the whole human race.
Thus, the salvation brought by Jesus is meant not only for a chosen few but for all of
humankind. Moreover to foster greater unity in the Church, Jesus Christ did the following
(cf. CFC 1391-1392):
 ∙ He put Peter at the head of the Church, thus setting forth a lasting and visible
source of unity and foundation in the Church;
∙ He instituted the Holy Eucharist which both signifies and effects that unity of the
Church;
∙ He established the New and Everlasting Covenant which unites all the members of
the Church in mutual love; and
∙ He poured forth His Spirit through whom He calls everyone to a unity of faith, hope,
and charity.
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The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, gives the Church a unity of fellowship and
service, constantly renewing and leading her to perfect union with Christ (cf. CFC 1360).
Finally, the unity of the Church is seen in her confession of one faith, in her common
celebration of divine worship and in the fraternal union of her members. But this unity of
the members of the Church does not translate to uniformity, rather, it is a unity in diversity
since the Church embraces peoples from all walks of life, cultures, situations, and ranks.
Moreover, her members are called to perform varied tasks that contribute to the
building up of the Church.

Though unity is a gift endowed by the Holy Spirit to the Church, her members
cannot and must not be complacent, instead, they must look at this gift as a task that
they must constantly engage in. For indeed, this unity is threatened by baptized persons
themselves who engage in heresy, apostasy or who simply refuse to submit to the
authority of the Pope. This unity is also threatened by our daily acts of selfishness
manifested in our tendency to be hostile, jealous, envy, malicious, angry, and to fiercely
compete.

There is therefore an urgent need for the Church to engage in sincere dialogue,
especially with those who belong to other Christian Churches. Besides dialogue, there is
also a need to work on projects for the good of all, to engage in common prayer, and
most especially for the members of the Church to have a change of heart, to develop
attitudes of openness and acceptance and to love unconditionally if unity of the
Christian Churches is to be restored.

Unity in the Church is founded on the Trinity and is seen in her confession of
one faith, in her common celebration of worship, and in the fraternal union
of her members.

The Church as Holy

Just like unity, holiness as an essential quality of the life of the Church is also
founded on the Trinity. The most Holy God, the Father is the author of the Church while
Jesus Christ, her spouse, continues to sanctify her by communicating His holiness to her.
The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, endows the Church with the means to lead her
members towards holiness. Moreover, this holiness of the Church shines forth in the life of
countless men and women who have led holy lives.

Unfortunately, for the longest time, this holiness in the Church had been
perceived to solely fall on the shoulders of priests and religious. In fact, lay people
sometimes even use it as an excuse to lead lives that fall short of holiness. Thus there is a
need to emphasize that holiness is the vocation of each member of the Church and
the purpose of all her activities. The holiness of the Church is the fountain of
sanctification for her children who here on earth recognize themselves as sinners ever in
need- of constant purification. This call to holiness comes from Christ Himself who
admonishes His followers to be holy. Though we recognize that "priests and religious are
called to a special state and service in the Church and vow themselves to bear a
special witness to the love of God," all the baptized are called to live the full challenge
of Christian holiness" (CFC 1400).
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How can the members of the Church respond to Christ's call to holiness? The
faithful must, first of all, pursue the path of penance and renewal. They must struggle
against the strong tendency to sin and they must pray daily for the forgiveness of their
sins. Most importantly, the faithful need to actively respond to the two great
commandments of hive: love of God and of neighbor, for "love is the center of holiness,
uniting inseparably both worship of God and service of others" (cf. CFC1400). It is this
love which will provide the necessary impetus for the members of the Church to fulfill
the law and to fulfill all the means for attaining holiness.

The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit account for the holiness of the Church.
This holiness is further affirmed by the holy lives of her members.

The Church as Catholic

In the past, the "Catholic" mark of the Church was used to distinguish herself from
all the other Christian sects and groups. Today, however, there is a shift in the way the
Catholic quality of the Church is viewed. It is now seen as the innate capacity of the
Church to actively engage in the universal ministry of reconciliation, that is, in the task of
reaching out to her separated brethren in the true spirit of dialogue.

This modern notion is more consistent with the meaning of the word "Catholic"
which is universal, complete, or all-embracing. It is also congruent with the way; the
Church carries out her Catholic mission, that is, she is sent to preach the good news to
all peoples and to announce to them the whole true faith. Moreover, the Church as
Catholic has been empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak all languages and lovingly
understand and accept all tongues. This gift of grace by the Spirit adequately prepares
the Church in her universal mission of reconciliation.

Besides this interior capacity for reconciliation, the Church fathers teach that the
Catholic quality of the Church is manifested in her being spread throughout the world, in
her possession of all saving truth, in her capacity to heal all kinds of sins and in the fact
that she abounds in every kind of virtue and spiritual gift (CFC 1402).

Finally the Church is Catholic because she proclaims the fullness and totality of
the faith, she bears and administers the means _of salvation, she is sent out by Christ on
a mission to the whole of the human race. All are called to belong to the new People
of God. Wherefore this people, while remaining one and unique, is to spread
throughout the whole world to all ages.

To live out the Catholic quality of the Church is a challenge which all her
members must face. Responding to this challenge requires the members of the Church
to have a strong sense of mission. This sense of mission will eradicate the strong
tendency of her members to maintain an exclusive, elitist mentality that ostracizes those
who are not members of the Catholic Church. Once this mentality is eradicated, the
members of the Church will now be ready to reach out to others and manifest a basic
respect for the cultures and beliefs of others. This sense of mission will also urge the
members of the Church to engage in evangelization, aimed not so much at the
conversion of those who
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belong to other churches but in the discovery-aikz1 appreciation of what is true, good,
and beautiful in other faiths.

Catholicity is both a gift and a task that involves mission and inculturation. In its
mission the Church reaches out to the cultural wealth of all people (CFC 1405) but
Catholicity is more fully realized when it is able to assimilate and use the riches of a
people's culture for the glory of God (PCP 208).

The Church is Catholic because she is gifted with the capacity to be all
embracing and to reach out to others in the true spirit of reconciliation.

The Church as Apostolic

The `Apostolic" quality of the Church is firmly grounded on Scriptures. In the

Gospel of -Matthew, the apostolicity of the Church was established by Jesus Christ
when He sent out the apostles to "preach the Gospel to all the nations, to make them
disciples of Christ, to teach and govern them" (cf. Mt. 28:19-20). This commissioning of
the apostles by the Risen Christ ensures the spread of the Church through the efforts of
the apostles under the guidance of Christ until He comes again. St. Paul, in his letter to
the Ephesians affirms this apostolic quality when he said, "So then you are no longer
strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of
the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with
Jesus Christ Himself as the capstone" (Eph. 2: 19-20).

From these texts in Scripture it can be concluded that the Church is Apostolic
because Jesus Christ grounded her firmly on the foundation of the apostles, she guards
and transmits their teachings and she continues to be sanctified and guided by the
apostles through their successors (CFC 1407).

The bishops, the successors of the apostles, continue today what the apostles
had started. Under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the bishops, headed
by the Pope, manifest and preserve the Apostolic tradition throughout the world. This
means that the Pope as Vicar of Christ and successor of Peter exercises full, supreme
and universal power over the Church while the bishops, in their role as teachers and
pastors, together with the Pope, have supreme and full power over the universal
Church. This power, however must not be seen as dominance, rather, the leadership
exercised by the Pope and the bishops is a "leadership of service" in accordance with
Christ's posture of being a "footwasher."

The "apostolic" quality of the Church challenges each of her members to actively
participate in the transmission and spreading of the teachings of Christ so that those
who do not know the Gospel may come to the knowledge and love of Christ through
which eternal life is attained.

The Church is Apostolic because she is built on the foundation of the

apostles and she continues to transmit and witness to their teachings.
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THE CHURCH SAYS...

In the Church there is first of all the unity of the believers. But this unity is a unity in
diversity. In the Church there are different charisms and ministries but there is only one
body. The diversity does not destroy the unity. But it brings out the complementarity and
necessary contribution of the different charisms and ministries. Sharing and mutual
interaction of the different members also characterize the Church. It is through this
sharing and interaction that everybody's need is supplied.
PCP II 92
 This is the sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be One, Holy,
Catholic, and Apostolic, which our Savior, after His resurrection, entrusted to Peter's
pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it, and
which he raised up for all ages as "the pillar and mainstay of the truth." This Church,
constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic
Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion
with him. Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and truth are found outside its
visible confines. Since these are gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, they are forces
impelling towards Catholic unity.
LG 8
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Worksheet
The Essential Characteristics of the Life of the Church

Name: __________________________________________________ Date: ____________________

Course: _________________________________________________ Rating:
___________________

Make a research on the state of interreligious dialogue in the Philippines. Be

guided by the following questions.

1. What is the meaning of interreligious dialogue?

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2. Why does the Church in the Philippines need to engage in interreligious dialogue?
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3. What efforts have the Philippine Church exerted so far in order to promote
interreligious dialogue?
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4. What positive effects does interreligious dialogue have on the Church in the
Philippines?
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5. How will you contribute to the efforts of the Church toward interreligious
dialogue?
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