Introduction:

In the Old Testament the revelation of the Kingdom is often conveyed by means
of metaphors. In the same way the inner nature of the Church is now made known to us
in different images taken either from tending sheep or cultivating the land, from
building or even from family life and betrothals, the images receive preparatory shaping
in the books of the Prophets.
- Lumen Gentium 6
Objectives:
The learners will be able to:
1. Identify the various scriptural images of the Church.
2. Enumerate and expound the images used by the Second Vatican Council to
describe in a picturesque manner the nature of the Church
3. .

OPENING PRAYER
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. +
Pray for Unity in the Church

Dear God,
We are so incredibly in need of your power and your strength. We ask that you
would fill us with your Spirit of love and unity among believers all around our world. We ask
for your help to set aside our differences and look to the greater cause, the cause of Christ.
Please help us to truly live out a life of love. We know that this is only possible through the
power of your Spirit, so we ask that you would move across our land in miraculous ways,
with fresh filling and awareness, turning your people back to you, drawing others to come
to know you. We need your unity and your love to stir our hearts and give direction to our
days. We need your wisdom to guide us, we need your Spirit to lead us, to live out godly
lives that would bring honor first to you. We thank you that you are always with us; and give
us great purpose and hope.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1. What is inter-religious dialogue?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

2. Why do we say that inter-religious dialogue is part of the Church’s

evangelizing mission?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

VOCABULARY

Lumen Gentium – the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church by Vatican II

People of God – group elected by God and committed to be His covenant people.

LET’S GET MOTIVATED

Gather your photos from the earliest time possible.
Creatively make a collage, then complete the sentences
below based on the images portrayed in the pictures.

1. Before I started going to school, I was…

Age in the picture:

___________________________
Description of the picture:
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

St. Rita’s College of Balingasag Christian Living 10 │ Student Study Guide #6 2

 2. In grade school, I became…

Age/year level in the picture:

___________________________
Description of the picture:
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_________

3. High school life has made me…

Age/year level in the picture:

___________________________
Description of the picture:
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_________

1. Why do you take and keep photos of yourself?

________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Among the different photos that you have, which captures your true self?
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Do your photos help you? In what way/s?
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

St. Rita’s College of Balingasag Christian Living 10 │ Student Study Guide #6 3

 SCRIPTURE READING

In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus made use of images to vividly describe His relationship
with the disciples. These images could also be used to illustrate Jesus’ relationship with the
Church at all times.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd and I know
mine and mine know Me, just as the
Father knows Me and I know the
Father,; and I will lay down My life for
the sheep. I have other sheep that
does not belong to this fold. These
also I must lead, and they will hear My
voice, and there will be one flock,
one shepherd.
John 10:14-16

Jesus as the Vine

I am the Vine, you are the

branches. Whoever remains in Me
and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without the Me you can do
nothing.
John 15:5

Taking after Jesus’ example, Vatican II,

particularly Lumen Gentium, makes use of the
same images of sheepfold and branches to the
Vine to describe the Church.

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 CHURCH TEACHINGS

Church as a Shephfold and Cultivated Field

The Church is a sheepfold whose one and indispensable door is Christ. It is a flock of
which God Himself foretold He would be the shepherd, and whose sheep, although ruled by
human shepherds; are nevertheless continuously led and nourished by Christ Himself, the
Good Shepherd and the Prince of the shepherds, who gave His life for the sheep.

The Church is a piece of land to be cultivated, the tillage of God. On that land the
ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the Prophets and in which the reconciliation
of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about. That land, like a
choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly Husbandman. The true vine is Christ who
gives life and the power to bear abundant fruit to the branches, that is, to us, who through
the Church remain in Christ without whom we can do nothing

- Lumen Gentium 6
Link 1: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH - LUMEN GENTIUM

Broadening of the Topic

Photographs are important to us. They help preserve
memories of special moments in our life. Photographs help
us remember and realize the many changes that have
taken place in our lives. They also help us understand
ourselves better, making us appreciate the human capacity
for growth and development. It is difficult to imagine life
without photographs. Do you agree?
Jesus knows that for His teachings to be fully
understood
and appreciated by His audience, He has to use images. In
the gospel of John in our scripture reading, Jesus made use
of images to describe the relationship that should exist
between Him and His followers.

First, He used to describe Himself as the Good

Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life for
His sheep (His followers).

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 Second, Jesus portrays Himself as the Vine
to which the branches (His followers) must
always be attached for them to bear fruits.

Vatican II – Lumen Gentium

Vatican II adopted these images of flock and vine and branches to describe
the Church and to further stress the need for the Church to always work for an
intimate relationship with Christ in order for her to fulfill her mission of salvation.
Here are additional three images Vatican II uses to describe in a picturesque
manner the nature of the Church. These are the Church as People of God, the Church
as Body of Christ and the Church as Temple of the Holy Spirit.

A. THE CHURCH AS PEOPLE OF GOD

If therefore in the Church everyone does not
proceed by the same path, nevertheless all are
called to sanctity and have received an equal
privilege of faith through the justice of God.
Link 2:
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/d
ocuments/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH - LUMEN GENTIUM

The image of the Church as People of god

takes its origin from the Old Testament. In the
Book of Exodus, God speaks to Moses, “I will take
you as My own people, and you shall have me as
you God” (Ex.6:7). God gathered a people, Israel,
to be His own to carry out His plan of salvation.

In the New Testament, Peter echoes the same idea of the Church as People
of God when he wrote to the Christians, referring to them as the “chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own.”

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 The Church as People of God is a vivid picture of the Church. It is an all-
encompassing image that brings to the fore the following characteristics of the
Church (CFC 1381).

The Church has its beginning in God

The Head of the Church is Christ.
The Members of the Church are those who believed in Christ and have been
baptized. Those members of the Church are given the privilege of being called
sons and daughters of god. They are, thus, endowed with the dignity and
freedom of God’s children.
The law that governs the Church is Christ’s New Commandment of Love and the
New Law of the Spirit.
The mission of the Church is to spread the good news of salvation to all people.
The Church journeys towards the Kingdom of God, which shall be brought to
completion at the end of time.

B. THE CHURCH AS BODY OF CHRIST

Another image that supports and
complements the Church as People of God is
“the Church as Body of Christ”. St. Paul uses this
image to stress the unity of the members despite
their diverse gifts and to show the relationship of
the members with Christ and with one another.
(Romans 12:4-8).
The same idea applies to the Church in
Lumen Gentium, echoing the words of St. Paul in
his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 12:12-13) states
that “as all members of the human body, though
they are many, form one body, so also are the
faithful in Christ.” The unity is not hindered by
races and cultures because the Holy Spirit draws
all people to unity. It is also the great desire of the
Lord Jesus that we will be one.

The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) affirms that each has a gift
from the Spirit to share and each has a need of the others’ gift for the building up of the
body and for the fulfillment of its mission (PCP II 98).
These declarations affirm that whatever our status in life is and work or ministry we
are engaged in, we can contribute to the Church’s mission. The image of Church as the
Body of Christ gives clear illustration of “Unity and Diversity” as we live in community.

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 C. THE CHURCH AS TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The third image that will lead us to a
deeper appreciation and understanding of
the Church is the “Church as Temple of the
Holy Spirit”. The New Testament writers affirms
that the Holy Spirit lives in us. In the Last Supper
discourses of Jesus found in the Gospel of St.
John, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to
His apostles (Jn 14:15-17).
It is the same Spirit that unites us a
members of the Church. The Holy Spirit gives
life and animates the Church. It is also the
same Spirit that moves us to pray, to love, and
to serve God and our brothers and sisters. The
Holy Spirit strengthens us in our daily following
of Jesus. Realizing that each one of us is the
dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, we are all
challenged to manifest the Spirit’s influence in
our life in the way we feel, we think and do.

We can never be the same but we can be united in our Lord through the Holy Spirit.
As members of the Church in faith and Baptism, we participate in her mission according
to our gifts and charisms given by the Holy Spirit who dwells in each of us and in the
Church.

Link 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHr7Z7ZS3GE
I am the Vine by John Michael Talbot
Click the link up and listen reflectively to the song
and answer the following questions below.

1. What is the song all about?

______________________________________________
______________________________________________

2. What are the promises mentioned in the

song when we come to the Lord as His branches?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

St. Rita’s College of Balingasag Christian Living 10 │ Student Study Guide #6 8

 WORKSHEET # 6

Lesson 6: The Image of the Church in the Scriptures

Name
Grade & Section Date
Teacher

TASK 1
A. Read the following statements carefully.
Write T if the statement is correct and F is false.
On the space provided, write the letter of your answer.

________ 1. The Scriptural images of the Church lead us to an appreciation and deeper
understanding of the Church.

________ 2. The use of these Scriptural images in describing the Church is necessitated by
the fact that the Church is a mystery.

________ 3. The Church is holy because of its Head, Jesus Christ.

________ 4. The members of the Church are striving for holiness.

________ 5. The Church as People of God finds its roots in the Jewish Christians.

________ 6. As people of God our different roles help us to be united in Jesus Christ.

________ 7. The Church that is in the process of salvation is far from perfect and needs to
work for the unity of Go’s people..

________ 8. Belonging to Christ’ Church assures us of the fullness of God’s redemption since it
is founded by Christ.

________ 9. As members of the Church we need one another in order to experience Christ’s
redeeming grace.

________ 10. Our individual gifts and charisms makes us all the same in the Church.

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TASK 2
DIRECTION: Read the following questions and write your answers on the spaces provided
below each item.

1. How do the 3 (three) scriptural images of the Church help you understand and
appreciate the Church better?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. How does diversity of gifts among the members of the Church contribute to the unity of
the People of God?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Enumerate the 3 (three) scriptural images and write your own description of Church based on
the scriptural images of the Church by Vatican II - Lumen Gentium. Refer to the rubrics on the
next page as your guide.

Three Scriptural Images:

________________________________
________________________________
________________________________

Explain briefly your picturesque description of the Church:

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

You may use pictures from the internet for your own version here.

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 1-BETTER LUCK NEXT
CRITERIA 4-VERY GOOD 3-GOOD 2-FAIR SCORE
TIME
All ideas are Most of the ideas Some of the ideas
Relevance Few of the ideas are
related to the are related to the are related to the
related to the topic
topic topic topic
Ideas are well Most of the ideas Some of the ideas
Coherence Ideas are not well
organized are well are well
points organized
organized organized
Correct grammar Committed 1-5 Committed 6-10 Committed 9-15 Committed 14-20
errors errors errors errors
Readable but
Neatness of Work Work is very neat Readable but has Not readable and
contains some
– for MDL and readable many erasures has many erasures
erasures

Time of submission Submitted one Submitted two Submitted 3 days

Submitted on time
For OLD – day late days late late

TASK 3

DIRECTIONS: Ask help from your parents/ siblings/ relatives/ classmates/ friends/ neighbors or
teachers and ask what their own image is for the Church. Indicate the name of the
persons involved with their respective description or image of Church. Use the table
below for your answers. You may also use images here.

Description or picture of what is

Name
Church

Parent

Sibling / Relative

Friend

Classmate

Neighbor

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 POINTS FOR REFLECTION

RVM INTEGRATION QUESTIONS ANSWER

IGNACIAN CORE/RELATED VALUE

1. What significant character or value do the
image of Jesus as the Vine brings out and
develop in us?

SOCIAL ORIENTATION
2. How will you show your active participation
as a member of the Church, as a branch
connected to the Vine in this time where the
number of young children committing suicide
is increasing?

LESSON ACROSS DISCIPLINE

3. In your Arts class, how do the pictures help
you to better understand a situation or
context?

SUMMARY

After encountering the different images of the Church in the scripture and in the Vatican II
Lumen Gentium Document, I have learned that…
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

SELF-EVALUATION
New things I have imbibed from this lesson: Question/s that still bothering me from this
lesson:
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

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 To make our Module become learner-friendly, please help us answer the
following questions.

1. In what aspect of this module is helpful to your learning?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which part of this module are least helpful to your learning?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Other comments/suggestions
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

 Enjoying our Life with the Church

 Lumen Gentium (LG)
 Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC)
 LIST OF LINKS
Link 1:
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-
ii_const_19641121_lumen gentium_en.html
DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH - LUMEN GENTIUM
Link 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHr7Z7ZS3GE
I am the Vine by John Michael Talbot

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body”

- 1 Corinthians 12:13

St. Rita’s College of Balingasag Christian Living 10 │ Student Study Guide #6 13