THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD…

Ephesians 2:19-22

19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Luke 6:12-16

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God.
13 And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles;
14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 

MEDITATION

St PAUL MAKES use of structural and construction elements to describe the purpose, function and venerable nature of the ecclesiastical body that consist of earthly as well as supernatural matter that purvey God’s word to sanctify the people. Pauls reference of a “household,” denotes one unified universal Church with a singular ecclesiastical body with one set of beliefs, doctrines, teachings, Traditions and ecclesiastical practices! Paul would later reaffirm that this unified body of Christ is the Church, which is the pillar and bulwark of the truth.1Tim 3:15

Catec 173 “Indeed, the Church, though scattered throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, having received the faith from the apostles and their disciples. . . guards [this preaching and faith] with care, as dwelling in but a single house, and similarly believes as if having but one soul and a single heart, and preaches, teaches and hands on this faith with a unanimous voice, as if possessing only one mouth.”

THE GOSPEL READING: After Jesus separated Himself from the disciples to fast and pray, He was ready to choose twelve Apostles whom He would teach and serve for the next three years. We can rightly deduce that a substantial amount of men (v 13) were vying to be an Apostle of Christ, however Jesus called only twelve men who represented the twelve tribes of Israel. St Luke purposefully highlight a troubling matter when he single out one of the men who turned out to be a traitor of the Lord!

Catec 174 “For though languages differ throughout the world, the content of the Tradition is one and the same. The Churches established in Germany have no other faith or Tradition, nor do those of the Iberians, nor those of the Celts, nor those of the East, of Egypt, of Libya, nor those established at the center of the world. . .”The Church’s message “is true and solid, in which one and the same way of salvation appears throughout the whole world.”

It is rather obvious that Christ sought to establish one Universal [Catholic] Church with one faith under one unified body that hold to one set of teachings, doctrines, beliefs and worship Traditions.From time to time more than one of Christ’s chosen ones became traitors. Nearly all these individuals created unrecognizable ‘household’s” stripped down to “a few “essential”  doctrines based on their personal beliefs! We the members of the body of Christ that our Lord established are called to fast and offer intercessory prayers for our Magisterial shepherds during this tumultuous time as we await our judgement upon the bridegrooms return.

LET US PRAY: Psalms 19:2-5

2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,5 which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.