Chapter 23: Relationships

As human beings we were created to be social beings – to be in relationship with God and
others. A relationship is a bond or interactions with others. Relationships are meant to be
healthy, loving and life-giving, however some relationships exists that are unhealthy, toxic, and
harmful.

In each relationship there are roles for each party involved in that relationship. Roles consist of
responsibilities and functions.

Relationships may be an expression of family, friendship, marriage or fellowship.

 Family – a group of persons who are related by blood, marriage or adoption. They might
live in the same household.
 Marriage – a permanent union of one man and one woman who live a life of love and
commitment to each other
 Friendship – sharing a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or
family relations
 Fellowship – friendly association, especially with people of a common interest e.g.
church

Church

What is the church?

The Church is the faithful of the whole world. This broad definition can be understood in various
senses all derived from the Scriptures, notably as the community of believers, the kingdom of
God, and the Mystical Body of Christ.

 As the community of believers, the Church is the assembly (ekklesia) of all who believe
in Jesus Christ or the fellowship (koinonia) of all who are bound together by their
common love for the Savior.

 As the kingdom (basileia), it is the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies about the reign of
the Messiah.

 And as the Mystical Body of Christ, it is the communion of all those made holy by the
grace of Christ. He is their invisible head and they are his visible members. These
include the faithful on earth, those in purgatory (who are not yet fully purified), and the
saints in heaven.

The term church can also be used to indicate a building designed and blessed for Christian
worship services.

Characteristics of the true Church

The Nicene Creed was written centuries ago to help Christians remember the important beliefs
of the faith. In the Nicene Creed we identify the four marks of the Church. The four marks of the
Church are not characteristics that the Church creates or develops or learns. They are qualities
that Jesus Christ shares with his Church through the Holy Spirit. The four marks of the Church
are that it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

The Church Is One

Just as God is one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so also is the Church one. The founder of
the Church is Jesus Christ, who brought us back to God and made us into the family of God.
The Church is one in the Holy Spirit, who dwells in those who believe.

The Church Is Holy

The Church is holy because the Church lives in union with Jesus Christ, the source of holiness.
Through the Holy Spirit the Church leads others to holiness. The holiness of the Church is seen
in the love that the members of the Church have toward one another and the many sacrifices
they make for the sake of the world.
The Church Is Catholic

Catholic means “universal.” The Church is universal in two ways. First, the Church is catholic
because all baptized people are part of the Church and the Church possesses the means of
salvation. Second, the mission of the Church is universal because the Church has been sent to
proclaim Christ to the entire human race.

The Church Is Apostolic

The Church traces its tradition directly from the apostles; therefore, the Church is considered
apostolic. With the Holy Spirit the Church preserves and continues the teaching of the apostles.
The pope and bishops are the successors of the apostles.

The Role of The Church

The Church has a moral responsibility to fulfill the great commission of Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20 Good News Translation (GNT)

19
Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”

The church carries out this great commission in a variety of ways.

Spiritual Role of The Church

 The Church provides the Sacraments – Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation,

Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, Marriage and Holy Orders
 The Church provides fellowship for believers through worship services.
 Faith formation – inform and form believers through faith formation programs for youth,
youth adults and adults e.g. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), Rite of Christian
Initiations of Adults (RCIA), Sunday School, Bible Study
 The Church preaches the Gospel through word and example e.g. Proclamation of the
Word, homilies and sermons and living as Jesus did

The Social Role of The Church

  Education – The Church assists with education through running schools which reduces
the strain on the government to educate every child.

 Prison Outreach – Churches provide support via prison ministries with visitations and
worship services. Churches also support the families of those imprisoned.

 Social Programs – Churches are involved in programs to meet the needs of the
community

o Soup kitchens
o Halfway houses
o Children’s homes
o Homes and daycare for the elderly
o Counselling for families and individuals in crisis
o Community seminars on health, financing, parenting etc
o Youth programs
o Music programs

The Role of The Church in the Family

The family is the most basic building block of society and is considered to be the domestic
church. It provides security and stability for children. It is where children are nurtured and
socialized first. The parents are the first and primary teachers of children. The Church
therefore supports and defends family life. The Roman Catholic Church has an Office of Family
Life that caters to the needs of the family and promotes the health of families.

The church meets the needs of families by:

 Providing an avenue to worship together and strengthen Christian family values

 Providing the structure to strengthen and practice their faith
 Providing counselling for families include marriage preparation, parenting classes and
marriage counselling

Love

What is Love?

It appears that, in New Testament times, there were at least four different Greek words that we
translate as the English word ‘love’. This variety actually helps us in the work of translation
because each of the four different Greek words carries a slightly different definition from the
other three. This makes it a little clearer as to what the original means. These words were
storge, philia, eros and agape.

1) STORGE: This is the type of love signifying the natural affection between kinfolk
(familial). Familial love refers to natural or instinctual
affection, such as the love of a parent towards offspring and
vice versa. It is liking someone through the fondness of
familiarity. Storge is also the simple affection we see
between acquaintances, co-workers, and even exists
between animals like cats and dogs in the same household.

2) PHILIA: This love is a love of friendship which itself takes many forms, some more
interested, others disinterested, in which the good of the others plays at
least some role. It is considered brotherly love.
 3) EROS: this Greek word was not used in the New Testament. It refers to sexual love and
probably derived its name from the mythical god of love.

4) AGAPE: This Greek word for love is by far the one that appears most frequently in the
New Testament. It is generally assumed to mean moral
goodwill and charity. It is the purest of loves, the selfless
concern for the other, including obedience to God, absolute and
beyond our own personal interests and desires. Agapic love is
altruistic, saying, “I will give, requiring nothing in return.

Love According to St. Paul

Paul defines love as the greatest Christian virtue and gives the following characteristics of love
in 1 Corinthians 13:
- Love is patient and kind; It is not jealous or conceited or proud.
- Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable.
- Love does not keep record of wrongs- always forgiving and forgets. We must forgive our
brothers. (Matthew 18:21-35- The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant)
- Love is not happy with evil but is happy with truth.
- Love is persistent.
- Love is eternal- Love never dies. (St. Paul says that inspired messages, gift of speaking
in strange tongues, gift of knowledge are only temporary and will cease but love will
remain forever