Love for the Church

LOVING the Church is a duty we all have. But how are we developing and
cultivating it? For, mind you, it is not just a passing sentiment. It has to be love that is deep and strong, able to penetrate the true dimensions of the Church and transform people’s lives individually and socially.

Given the complexity of life in the Church, given our weaknesses and mistakes, the occasional scandals among Church leaders, etc., if we are not scientific in developing this love, we certainly would be lost.

There are at least three points which, to me, are crucial in developing this love. There can be many other elements involved, of course. But in the meantime, I feel these three are basic and indispensable.

First is that our model in loving the Church should be none other than Christ himself. Second is that this love is shown in our love for the Eucharist. Third is that our union with the person and intention of the Pope, and the bishops in union with him, is a sure proof of our love for the Church.

Who can question Jesus as model in our love for the Church? He is the founder, and he considers the Church as his bride, the object of his undying love. He is faithful to her. He is generous in endowing her with the best of things, especially his mercy that limits evil.

On our part, we can imitate him by offering our life to her. Our faith in her should be such that we believe she has the answer to all the questions affecting our salvation, our faith and morals.

We should do all we can to foster the development and growth of the Church. For this we have to be generous in our sacrifices and in our efforts to do active apostolate in any form available to us.

For example, the apostolate of doctrine. The Church is in dire need of men and women who can consistently give witness to their faith in their respective families and in places they work, as well as in business, politics, culture, etc.

Church doctrine should cease being merely intellectual concerns. They have to infuse and leaven our thoughts and deeds, and leave their mark in all aspects of our life. Faith and life should merge.

Then, loving the Church is concretely shown also when we take care of developing true Eucharistic piety. This is because the sacrament contains nothing less than our greatest treasure, Jesus Christ himself.

It is the sacrament that effectively brings us closest to Christ, fills us with his life and goodness, reminds us of everything that Christian life entails. This is the sacrament that builds the Church.

As such, the sacrament brings us closest to others in the endless variety of our possible conditions. As St. Paul explains: “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Cor 10,17)

That is to say, union with Christ is also union with all those to whom Christ gives himself. I cannot possess Christ just for myself. I can only belong to him if I unite myself with all those who have become, or will become, Christ’s own.

This is how the Holy Eucharist should strike us. It should not just give us some tender moments of nice feelings. It has very practical consequences that need to be acted out by us.

Thus, Eucharistic piety should give us constant impulses to show our faith and love for God and his Church with deeds.

The third element for loving the Church is to be united with the person and intentions of the Pope, and all the other bishops in union with him.

This is because where Peter is, that is where the Church is (“ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia”). In short, if we are not united with the Pope, we are not united with Christ.

This union with the Pope and the bishops is shown by loving and appreciating the Church magisterium: studying, reading and following the encyclicals, letters and other documents from the Pope and the bishops.