Images of the Church

Images are very useful thinking tools. Some memory enhancement programs teach people to visualize an image to memorize some difficult phrases. For example, when I studied Chemistry in Secondary Three in Choi Hung Estate Catholic Secondary School, which is a boy school, my teacher taught us a rather "indecent" phrase in Chinese to memorize the reactivity series of metals. It goes like this.
With a padded jacket, I cover a beautiful girl. Body touching, I finish kissing my mistress! 裌衲蓋美女，身貼錫完卿。 It represents potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, zinc, iron, tin, lead and hydrogen in decreasing reactivity. Of course, your teachers must have some tricks up their sleeves to make your school life very memorable.

Jesus also used images in teaching the Kingdom of God. For example, in talking about the reception of the Kingdom of God, Jesus used the parable of the sower (Mark 4:3-8). In talking about the growth of the Church, Jesus used the image of a mustard seed (Mark 4:31-32). In talking about the Church and the end of the world, Jesus used the image of a fishing net (Matthew 13:47-48). In describing the relation between Jesus and us, the images of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the True Vine (John 15:1) immediately pop up in our mind. Paul put forth an unprecedented image of the Mystical Body of Christ to describe the Church (1 Corinthians 12:12). All of these images help us visualize different aspects of the Church.

Fr. Baptista taught us the New Testament. He always lamented the images the Church put forth to describe herself. No doubt, the Church is made up of sinners and saints just as the fishing net Jesus used. Throughout the ages, the Church adopted Paul's image of the Mystical Body of Christ. In such case, the Church is Holy and does not need any improvement.
In 1961, Pope John XXIII published an encyclical called "Mater et Magistra" (Mother and Teacher of all nations) to deal with the social and economic problems of the present age. As such, the Church is still beyond reproach. Catholics should love their mother and listen to their teacher, the Church.
One year later, moved by the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church convoked the Second Vatican Council to reform the Church so as to better present the Gospel to the modern world. In this Council, the Catholic Church adopted an age-old image found in the Bible --- the Church as a people of God on pilgrimage. In this image, reform becomes possible.

In describing Jesus, Peter called up the image of the forsaken stone which Jesus applied to himself. Jesus was rejected by the Jewish authority. This image fit him. But from the point of view of Christians, this stone gives them life. Therefore, this is a living stone.
Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious (1 Peter 2:4).
Then, Peter called up the image of a holy Temple to describe the Church.
and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5).
Christians should turn themselves into holy stones as well to build up the holy Temple. But how can they be stones, albeit living stones? Of course not! Peter immediately linked them to the promise of the Old Covenant. Christians should form into a holy priesthood. A few verses later, Peter recalled the full promises of the Old Testament.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:8).
and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6a)
Christians fulfill what the Israelites have failed. The Church is visualized as yet another Jerusalem Temple. Christians are the royal priests. God is their king and they are the true Chosen People. The First Epistle of Peter is still very Jewish in outlook.

Dear Lord, we have yet to become perfect. We see the need to improve. Be our Teacher and help us repent, reform and reconcile. Amen.

Appendix:
ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον ἀκρογωνιαῖον ἐκλεκτὸν ἔντιμον καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ.
Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame (1 Peter 2:6b).
Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐμβαλῶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια Σιων λίθον πολυτελῆ ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρογωνιαῖον ἔντιμον εἰς τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ (Isaiah 28:16).

λίθος ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας
The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner (1 Peter 2:7, Psalm 117:22 LXX, 118:22 MT)

λίθος προσκόμματος καὶ πέτρα σκανδάλου
A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall (1 Peter 2:8a)
λίθου προσκόμματι συναντήσεσθε αὐτῷ οὐδὲ ὡς πέτρας πτώματι (Isaiah 8:11).