“a Spirituality of Ecclesiology”

Theology 151

“A Spirituality of Ecclesiology”

In this chapter of Ronald Rolheiser’s “The Holy Longing”, it clears out the misconceptions of what and why the Church is there since, a big rise in Christians do not see the importance of going to Church today.

Many have false expectations about the apostolic community of the Church. One has to understand that this community is composed of very different individuals that set aside their differences for God who they respect and what He stands for that makes a community. It is also not a place where people who are fearful and lonely go to. Instead, it is the Spirit of God and not fear and loneliness that unites this community. Do not try to find real intimacy amongst fellow Church goers because that intimacy is reserved for lovers. Distance does not also dictate being an apostolic community so scratch that. The Church consecrates people, putting “a rope around them and takes them to where they rather not go, namely, out of natural selfishness and into self-sacrificing maturity”. There is no going back or ending this. The Church will always be dysfunctional; it is human nature. ‘To be a member of the Church is not to choose among these. It is to choose them all.” It “demands that there be some real sharing of life to celebrate and be responsible together, being mutually accountable for one another.”

So why go to Church? It is all about being in a community to find God and be with them and Him at the same time. For it is not good to be alone. Walk to God within a community, naked and unmarked, helping each other with one’s unhealthy ways. To deal with Christ is to deal with the Church. What is too painful to deal with is not the Church’s imperfection but my own fantasies about my own goodness. No one can defeat evil but a million can. And in the end in Heaven, you will eventually have to