MODULE 1

LESSON NO. 1
PENTECOST (BIRTH OF CHURCH)

The Church, which originated in Christ's redemptive death, was manifested to the world on
Pentecost Day by the work of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is the great festival that marks the birth
of the Christian church by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Pentecost means "fiftieth day" and is
celebrated fifty days after Easter.
Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the twelve apostles, Jesus' mother and family,
and many other of His disciples gathered together in Jerusalem for the Jewish harvest festival
that was celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover.  While they were indoors praying, a sound
like that of a rushing wind filled the house and tongues of fire descended and rested over each of
their heads.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different
languages as the Spirit enabled them. This was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on human flesh
promised by God through the prophet Joel. The disciples were suddenly empowered to proclaim
the gospel of the risen Christ. The gift of the Spirit on Pentecost signalled the beginning of the
Church’s mission.

After the birth of Christianity and of the Church on Pentecost, the number of those who adhered
to faith in the Risen Christ grew rapidly. The way the first Christian community under the
leadership of Jesus’ apostles lived their new faith inspired a great number of people to convert to
Christianity.
While in their homes they broke bread and took their meals in common. The communal
practice of the breaking of the bread was a celebration of love centered in the sharing of the body
and blood of Christ.
It was a communion, a koinonia which means fellowship in Christ, he who bound them in faith,
hope, and love.

MISSION AND MINISTRY OF CHURCH

A. Mission-Christ founded his church to continue his saving mission on earth. The church,
endowed with the gifts of her founder, receives the mission to proclaim and to establish
among all peoples the kingdom of Christ and God. The mission is built into her very
nature as originating from the Blessed Trinity. The mission flows from the Church as
“Sacrament of Salvation,” the sign and instrument for achieving intimate union with God.
Since mission is at centre of Church’s being, the whole church is missionary. This means
that “we are missionaries”`PCP II- describes the church in the Philippines as a
community in mission.
B. Ministry-Ministry - means “service” and Christian ministry refers to serving the people of
God in stable fashion.” Ministry is the most general sense, therefore, is not the privilege
of a selected few, but vocation of all baptized Christians. The grace of God is active
presence among us the sources, the context, the judge and the goal of all Church
ministries. Ordained Ministers they receive the authority and the power to serve the
church, acting in the person of Christ, the Head. But they are fundamentally ordered to
the service of the entire people of God. Three degrees of the Sacrament of Orders;
Bishop, priest and deacon.
Catechism for Filipino Catholics, pages 398-402