LESSON 6 :THE MARKS OF THE CHURCH

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2: 41-47

41 They accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.

42 These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

43 And everyone was filled with awe; the apostles worked many signs and miracles.

44 And all who shared the faith owned everything in common;

45 they sold their goods and possessions and distributed the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.

46 Each day, with one heart, they regularly went to the Temple but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously;

47 they praised God and were looked up to by everyone. Day by day the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved.

The Nicene Creed was written centuries ago to help Christians remember the important beliefs of the faith. In the Nicene Creed we identify the four marks of the Church. The four marks of the Church are not characteristics that the Church creates or develops or learns. They are qualities that Jesus Christ shares with his Church through the Holy Spirit. The four marks of the Church are that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Church Is One
Just as God is one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so also is the Church one. The founder of the Church is Jesus Christ, who brought us back to God and made us into the family of God. The Church is one in the Holy Spirit, who dwells in those who believe.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:"The Church is one:

• she acknowledges one Lord, (John 10:16)
• confesses one faith, 
• is born of one Baptism, (Eph. 4:4-5)
• forms only one Body, (1 Cor. 10:17)
• is given life by one Spirit, 
• for the sake of one hope,        at whose fulfilment all divisions will be overcome."

Of course, it is a sad fact that in the course of its history, rifts have arisen in the Church, sometimes leading whole groups of the faithful to separate from the Church. This is a scandal, unpleasing to God. Our Lord wishes that "all may be one" and it is the duty of all Christians to strive towards and pray earnestly for that day when all Christians will be united in the Lord.

This does not, however, mean that a proliferation of denominations means the Catholic Church is not one. In fact, all those separated from the Catholic Church remain part of her, in a mysterious way. All those who receive Christian baptism belong to the Catholic Church!

The Church Is Holy
The Church is holy because the Church lives in union with Jesus Christ, the source of holiness. Through the Holy Spirit the Church leads others to holiness. The holiness of the Church is seen in the love that the members of the Church have toward one another and the many sacrifices they make for the sake of the world.

The Church is holy: 
the Most Holy God is her author;
Christ, her bridegroom, gave himself up to make her holy; (1 Tim. 1:15)(Eph. 5:25-27
the Spirit of holiness gives her life. 
Since she still includes sinners, she is "the sinless one made up of sinners". 
Her holiness shines in the saints; in Mary she is already all-holy."
--Catechism of the Catholic Church


The Church Is Catholic
Catholic means “universal.” The Church is universal in two ways.

1. First, the Church is catholic because all baptized people are part of the Church and the Church possesses the means of salvation. 
2. Second, the mission of the Church is universal because the Church has been sent to proclaim Christ to the entire human race.

Pope Paul VI in his encyclical, Evangelii Nuntiandi, states:

"Let us be very careful not to conceive of the universal Church as the simple sum, or ... the more or less anomalous federation of essentially different particular churches. In the mind of the Lord the Church is universal by vocation and mission, but when she puts down her roots in a variety of cultural, social, and human terrains, she takes on different external expressions and appearances in each part of the world."

"The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith.

• She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. (Luke 12:32)
• She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. (Acts 2:5)
• She encompasses all times. 
• She is "missionary by her very nature".(Col. 1:5-6).

--Catechism of the Catholic Church


The Church Is Apostolic
The Church traces its tradition directly from the apostles; therefore, the Church is considered apostolic. With the Holy Spirit the Church preserves and continues the teaching of the apostles. The pope and bishops are the successors of the apostles.

"The Church is apostolic.
She is built on a lasting foundation: "the twelve apostles of the Lamb". (John 6:70)(Heb. 5:4)
She is indestructible.
She is upheld infallibly in the truth:  (Luke 10:16)
Christ governs her through Peter and the other apostles, who are present in their successors, the Pope and the college of bishops.(Titus 1:5-9)
--Catechism of the Catholic Church

VIDEO: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj48bnRgKzLAhWCSY4KHdbVDh0QtwIIZzAL&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlhxxaAJ7_nY&usg=AFQjCNEsDEohr3DtH4XVrH4Gr86398WSng&sig2=fas7WaupmAlQ86PCVHntrw

IN BRIEF

866 The Church is one: she acknowledges one Lord, confesses one faith, is born of one Baptism, forms only one Body, is given life by the one Spirit, for the sake of one hope (cf. Eph 4:3-5), at whose fulfillment all divisions will be overcome.

867 The Church is holy: the Most Holy God is her author; Christ, her bridegroom, gave himself up to make her holy; the Spirit of holiness gives her life. Since she still includes sinners, she is "the sinless one made up of sinners." Her holiness shines in the saints; in Mary she is already all-holy.

868 The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times. She is "missionary of her very nature" (AG 2).

869 The Church is apostolic. She is built on a lasting foundation: "the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Rev 21:14). She is indestructible (cf. Mt 16:18). She is upheld infallibly in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and the other apostles, who are present in their successors, the Pope and the college of bishops.

870 "The sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, . . . 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 of truth are found outside its visible confines"(LG 8).