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| JESUS OUR LORD PRAYS FOR THE CHURCH. Image from picturesofjesus4you via google.com |
"I pray not only for them,
but also for those who will believe in me
through their word, ..."
The Lord Jesus knew that the Church He has established will face many challenges and trials in this world. So He prayed for her even including those who still has to become her members through the activities of the Apostles and their successors.
When He told His Apostles that He would establish the Church, He assured them also that she will be a strong and stable institution by telling them that she will be capable of withstanding even the gates of hell [see Matthew 16:18]. During the Last Supper, He also promised that He will provide an Advocate to help the Church in facing trials, to remind the Church of all of His teachings, and to teach the Church about all truth [see John 14: 26; 16: 7-8, 13].
More importantly, He did not leave the Church without assuring her of leaders to take care of her and to lead her during her pilgrimage on earth. Starting with the Twelve Apostles [see Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:3; Luke 6:13], He appointed additional disciples numbering Seventy-two [see Luke 10:1]. Though a lot of these left Him because they could not accept some of His teachings such as His being the Bread of Life [see John 6: 60-69], the Twelve remained and faithfully followed Him - except for Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord - until He ascended to heaven. When the Holy Spirit came down on Pentecost Day [see Acts 2], the Twelve [complete again due to the election of Matthias as successor to the vacant office of Judas; see Acts 1], led the others who remained faithful to the Lord in receiving the Holy Spirit and in boldly proclaiming the Gospel [see Acts 2].
From this small community of believers, the Church grew amid persecutions and trials [see Acts 2: 41, 47; 4:4; 5: 13-14; 6:7; 9: 31, 35; 14: 1, 21]. But as a living proof of the Lord's promise that she will never be overcome even by the gates of hell, the Church continued to grow even when her members are being killed through various means. When the initial persecutions finally ended, she had to contend with various heresies which threatened the purity of faith and doctrine. But thanks to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who led her through many errors in order to come up with true doctrines and articles of Faith.
The Church today continue to endure diverse attacks and fight different enemies, on one hand, those who claim her to be ultra-conservative, on the other, those who claim that she already discarded the original Faith. Others attack her from the outside, and there are those who try to damage her from within. But she remains strong and stable thanks to her Holy Founder who has also promised His perpetual companionship [see Matthew 28:20].
May we never doubt the promises of the Lord to her Church.
When He told His Apostles that He would establish the Church, He assured them also that she will be a strong and stable institution by telling them that she will be capable of withstanding even the gates of hell [see Matthew 16:18]. During the Last Supper, He also promised that He will provide an Advocate to help the Church in facing trials, to remind the Church of all of His teachings, and to teach the Church about all truth [see John 14: 26; 16: 7-8, 13].
More importantly, He did not leave the Church without assuring her of leaders to take care of her and to lead her during her pilgrimage on earth. Starting with the Twelve Apostles [see Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:3; Luke 6:13], He appointed additional disciples numbering Seventy-two [see Luke 10:1]. Though a lot of these left Him because they could not accept some of His teachings such as His being the Bread of Life [see John 6: 60-69], the Twelve remained and faithfully followed Him - except for Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord - until He ascended to heaven. When the Holy Spirit came down on Pentecost Day [see Acts 2], the Twelve [complete again due to the election of Matthias as successor to the vacant office of Judas; see Acts 1], led the others who remained faithful to the Lord in receiving the Holy Spirit and in boldly proclaiming the Gospel [see Acts 2].
From this small community of believers, the Church grew amid persecutions and trials [see Acts 2: 41, 47; 4:4; 5: 13-14; 6:7; 9: 31, 35; 14: 1, 21]. But as a living proof of the Lord's promise that she will never be overcome even by the gates of hell, the Church continued to grow even when her members are being killed through various means. When the initial persecutions finally ended, she had to contend with various heresies which threatened the purity of faith and doctrine. But thanks to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who led her through many errors in order to come up with true doctrines and articles of Faith.
The Church today continue to endure diverse attacks and fight different enemies, on one hand, those who claim her to be ultra-conservative, on the other, those who claim that she already discarded the original Faith. Others attack her from the outside, and there are those who try to damage her from within. But she remains strong and stable thanks to her Holy Founder who has also promised His perpetual companionship [see Matthew 28:20].
May we never doubt the promises of the Lord to her Church.
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