Lesson 14

                               Jesus said, “The Kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed thatsomeone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grownit is the greatest of all shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches (Mt. 13:31-32). This parable is applicable to the Church 

The Church is Present Everywhere

                                     On the day of Pentecost, when the Church was formed, there were people whospoke different languages and belonged to different nations like the Parthians and theMedes, … listening to the preaching of the apostles. (Act. 2:5-11). So, at the very start ofthe Church, we can say, the Church reflected catholicity or universality. The catholicity ofthe Church means that the Church is present everywhere in the world and she becomesthe way of salvation for all peoples of the world Catholicity' or 'Universality was the term used from the beginning to indicate this particular character of the Church  The Englishword 'Catholic was formed from the Greek word 'Katholikos'. This term means, 'open toall' or 'embracing all'. We apply this term 'Catholic' to the Church in the sense that the church 'embraces all.' 

The Church Embraces all the People of the World 

                                                 Keeping the whole of humanity in mind, God called Abraham the Father of nations. Through the call of Abraham, God formed the people of Israel. But the purpose of this call and choice was the salvation of the entire humanity.Jesus was born as the Good News for all peoples and as the Saviour of the entire world.Jesus through his life and words, gave the message of salvation for all. He commissioned the apostles to go to the whole world and proclaim the Good News. Through them the Church, the visible sign of the kingdom of God, was established and its universality confirmed.

The Church Embraces all Cultures

                             The Church is to lead the whole world to salvation. She is bound to go into allcultures and receive all cultures and sanctify all cultures, irrespective of religion, race and caste. The universality of the Church is reflected in that fishing net that contained153 large fish and yet was not torn. God wants that all people must know the truth and be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). So the catholicity of the Church means that it contains all peoples.

                             St. John Damascene speaks of the universality of the Church:The Church isuniversal because she has gathered into one salvific faith and the knowledge of God, peoples who are diverse in tradition, language, culture and race.” St. Iraneus teachesthat, the diversity in tradition confirms the unity in faith. According to St. Augustine, the diversity in tradition reflects the beauty of the Church.

Different Traditions and Universality

                               Pope John Paul II says  In the Church, there is the Oriental Tradition and also the Latin Tradition. The catholicity of the Church is not reflected in its totality through one tradition alone. All should taste and know the universality of the Church that is preservedand made to grow in the life of the oriental and western Churches, a legacy that is divine and indivisible  (Kizhakkinte Velicham, No.1). Thus we see that the universality of theChurch is reflected clearly when we preserve and live the oriental and western traditions of the Church.

The Universal Councils of the Church

                                 The Universal Councils of the Church play an all important role in expressing theunity and universality of the Church. Twenty one Universal Councils have taken place in the Church till now. Over and above we can speak of a council that took place during thetime of the apostles themselves, which was held in Jerusalem to discuss the question ofexempting the gentile Christians from the Jewish practice  of circumcision. God revealedthrough Peter, the head of the apostles, and Paul , the zealous apostle of Christ, that circumcision was not needed The councils are held in the Church to interpret themysteries of faith to the peoples, to bring about renewal in the Church, and to find solutions to the various problems faced by the Church.

                          The Church is the sign of salvation for all peoples. God wills that all shouldcome into the Church through the proclamation of the gospel and the witnessing by the members of the Church.

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Word of God to Remember