Met Ephrem (Kyriakos): The Mystery of the Church

Arabic original here.

The Mystery of the Church

The life of the Church is a constant, ongoing Pentecost.

The Feast of All Saints indicates the transfiguration of humanity over time, until the Second Coming.

Now, at the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, it points especially to the apostolic evangelism, which is another point of distinction of the mystery of the Church.

It highlights the witness to Christ's resurrection by fishing men for Him.

What do you think is the need for the Church?

Is her existence necessary for our spiritual life?

Why is there holy tradition and the orders of the priesthood?

Why exactly does the Church exist?

Can we reach Christ directly without her?

The answer to this is easy, since Christ Himself wanted it this way, since he said to Peter:

"You are Peter and on this rock I shall build My Church" (Matthew 16:18).

And Peter says in his First Epistle, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession" (1 Peter 2:9).

Paul also states that you are "fellow citizens with the saints ... built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:19-20).

Jesus Himself wanted to make us members of His own body, which is the Church, of which He is the head and we are the members.

The Lord wanted to distance us from our individualist and selfish being and the Apostles became the foundations of the Church. As for the priests and bishops, they are in principle living icons of Christ.

This is despite their weaknesses, inasmuch as the Church has not yet entered into her glory at the Second Coming.

The will of Christ is clear from His words: "Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent Me" (Luke 10:16).

Let us pray, then, at this feast, the Feast of the pure Apostles, let us pray that Christ will distance us from every schism, every heresy, so that we may be able to love each other in one faith, in one Church, and in one earthly nation.

Christ said, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12).

 

+Ephrem

Metropolitan of Tripoli, al-Koura and their Dependencies