“The gathering of the People of God begins with Baptism; a church must have a place for the celebration of Baptism (baptistry) and for fostering remembrance of the baptismal promises (holy water font). The renewal of the baptismal life requires penance. A church, then, must lend itself to the expression of repentance and the reception of forgiveness, which requires an appropriate place to receive penitents. A church must also be a space that invites us to the recollection and silent prayer that extend and internalize the great prayer of the Eucharist. Finally, the church has an eschatological significance. To enter into the house of God, we must cross a threshold, which symbolizes passing from the world wounded by sin to the world of the new Life to which all men are called. The visible church is a symbol of the Father’s house toward which the People of God is journeying and where the Father ‘will wipe every tear from their eyes.’ Also for this reason, the Church is the house of all God’s children, open and welcoming.“ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 2, Celebration of the Mystery #1185,1186) As we cross the threshold of a church, what is it that we should experience? What should it inspire in us? As we enter and bless ourselves with holy water, we are reminded of our entry into the Body of Christ through baptism. As we are drawn into the church, we should be drawn into Christ’s presence, where we renew our baptismal life through repentance and the forgiveness of sins in the confessional. The church itself should give us a sense of the divine and encourage us by art, statues, and its general décor, to lift our hearts to the Lord and journey toward our eternal life with him. We pass from the world, wounded by sin, and cross the threshold into a space that inspires praise and worship, as well as quiet reflection and silent prayer. It is the house of God where all are called and all are welcome, and where we meet, touch, and experience the divine life of Christ present in the Eucharist and in his people!
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 05:10:27 +0000