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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
about the mystical body of Christ	RosaMaria	Sunday, April 4, 2010
Question: Hello Brother Ignatius Maria, Hope you are well as can be and Happy Easter, too! My question may seem strange and perhaps not, but have been a bit confused about it since first it came up (in my head) and not finding someone to ask or if there was someone, the question was not in my thoughts that moment. My question is, do you perhaps know what the early Fathers of the Church (st.Anthony of the Desert or even st.Padre Pio)would answer to my question, concerning the mystical body of Christ?, for instance, as I understand it, we all form the mystical body of Christ, as least all who are baptized, correct?, so, if I should do something very good, a loving, sacrificial act would this affect my fellow brothers and sisters?? And on the other hand, if I were to commit a very rotten, evil act, so rotten as to be a mortal sin, then would that likewise affect my fellow brothers and sisters, but in a destructive, poisonous way? That has confused me for quite a while now. In my mind, I do believe it could affect my brothers and sister, and even others who might not be baptized, though perhaps not in such a deep nor intense way? Also the reason I ask is besides having blood relative and ancestors who were really quite notorious, though I do not like to think of it, nor really blame them (adulterous, masonry, some forms of witchcraft, married civil court only, etc.)..I and my husband are separated, though not divorced, and he blames me very greatly for my sins and inadequacies and having hurt him, (a lot of the blame I do accept, though some believe should be placed on his relatives, ancestors as well), and when he has yelled at me, cursed me or similar harsh treatment, I feel very burdened and it is like a feeling of being poisoned, to say the truth, so could that be because of the mystical body of Christ? Do you see what I mean to ask? Likewise if he should do something wonderful, kind or thoughtful, I feel totally the opposite, very blessed and peaceful. Hopefully this question is something you can cast some light on for me and anyone else who reads this and I will be very grateful for your help in this. Thanks so much in advance and best wishes always to you, friends, family. RosaMaria
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear RosaMaria: Your feeling bad or good as a result of bad or good treatment from your husband as nothing to do with the "mystical body of Christ." The reason you feel bad or good when someone treats you bad or good is due to a natural psychological effect. When we verbally abused by others it is natural to feel bad. When we are treated well by others is natural for us to feel good. The Mystical Body of Christ is a doctrine of the Church defined in the 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia as: This truth, that the Church is the mystical body of Christ, all its members being guided and directed by Christ the head, is set forth by St. Paul in various passages, more especially in Ephesians 4:4-13 (cf. John 15:5-8). The doctrine may be summarized as follows: * The members of the Church are bound together by a supernatural life communicated to them by Christ through the sacraments (John 15:5). Christ is the centre and source of life to Whom all are united, and Who endows each one with gifts fitting him for his position in the body (John 15:7-12). These graces, through which each is equipped for his work, form it into an organized whole, whose parts are knit together as though by a system of ligaments and joints (John 15:16; Colossians 2:19). * Through them, too, the Church has its growth and increase, growing in extension as it spreads through the world, and intensively as the individual Christian develops in himself the likeness of Christ (John 15:13-15). * In virtue of this union the Church is the fulness or complement (pleroma) of Christ (Ephesians 1:23). It forms one whole with Him; and the Apostle even speaks of the Church as "Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:12). * This union between head and members is conserved and nourished by the Holy Eucharist. Through this sacrament our incorporation into the Body of Christ is alike outwardly symbolized and inwardly actualized; "We being many are one bread, one body; for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17). As to the effect of our actions upon the community, there is a a truth to that. Whenever we sin we tear the fabric of the community. This is why when a priest gives a penance, for example, of five Hail Marys and five Our Fathers, it means something even though it may seem to have little to do with the sins we confessed. It means something because the prayer is a form of reparation on a spiritual level -- it helps to repair that tear in the fabric of the community that was caused by our sin. In the same manner, our living a virtuous life and practicing the works of love our positive actions help to strengthen the fabric of the community. All this is not seen in such a microcosmic way that you were suggesting. Rather this has a overall effect to the community like air pollution or clean air effects the entire community. In essence a parish, for example, can seem to have a black cloud over it because of the sins of the parishioners. Conversely, a parish can seem to be anointed to the piety of its parishioners. But, in terms of the direct effect of your husband's treatment of you, that is a psychological effect that is natural to the human person in general. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

about the mystical body of Christ

RosaMaria

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Question:

Hello Brother Ignatius Maria, Hope you are well as can be and Happy Easter, too!

My question may seem strange and perhaps not, but have been a bit confused about it since first it came up (in my head) and not finding someone to ask or if there was someone, the question was not in my thoughts that moment.

My question is, do you perhaps know what the early Fathers of the Church (st.Anthony of the Desert or even st.Padre Pio)would answer to my question, concerning the mystical body of Christ?, for instance, as I understand it, we all form the mystical body of Christ, as least all who are baptized, correct?, so, if I should do something very good, a loving, sacrificial act would this affect my fellow brothers and sisters??

And on the other hand, if I were to commit a very rotten, evil act, so rotten as to be a mortal sin, then would that likewise affect my fellow brothers and sisters, but in a destructive, poisonous way?

That has confused me for quite a while now. In my mind, I do believe it could affect my brothers and sister, and even others who might not be baptized, though perhaps not in such a deep nor intense way?

Also the reason I ask is besides having blood relative and ancestors who were really quite notorious, though I do not like to think of it, nor really blame them (adulterous, masonry, some forms of witchcraft, married civil court only, etc.)..I and my husband are separated, though not divorced, and he blames me very greatly for my sins and inadequacies and having hurt him, (a lot of the blame I do accept, though some believe should be placed on his relatives, ancestors as well), and when he has yelled at me, cursed me or similar harsh treatment, I feel very burdened and it is like a feeling of being poisoned, to say the truth, so could that be because of the mystical body of Christ? Do you see what I mean to ask?

Likewise if he should do something wonderful, kind or thoughtful, I feel totally the opposite, very blessed and peaceful.

Hopefully this question is something you can cast some light on for me and anyone else who reads this and I will be very grateful for your help in this.

Thanks so much in advance and best wishes always to you, friends, family. RosaMaria

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear RosaMaria:

Your feeling bad or good as a result of bad or good treatment from your husband as nothing to do with the "mystical body of Christ."

The reason you feel bad or good when someone treats you bad or good is due to a natural psychological effect. When we verbally abused by others it is natural to feel bad. When we are treated well by others is natural for us to feel good.

The Mystical Body of Christ is a doctrine of the Church defined in the 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia as:

This truth, that the Church is the mystical body of Christ, all its members being guided and directed by Christ the head, is set forth by St. Paul in various passages, more especially in Ephesians 4:4-13 (cf. John 15:5-8). The doctrine may be summarized as follows:

    * The members of the Church are bound together by a supernatural life communicated to them by Christ through the sacraments (John 15:5). Christ is the centre and source of life to Whom all are united, and Who endows each one with gifts fitting him for his position in the body (John 15:7-12). These graces, through which each is equipped for his work, form it into an organized whole, whose parts are knit together as though by a system of ligaments and joints (John 15:16; Colossians 2:19).
    * Through them, too, the Church has its growth and increase, growing in extension as it spreads through the world, and intensively as the individual Christian develops in himself the likeness of Christ (John 15:13-15).
    * In virtue of this union the Church is the fulness or complement (pleroma) of Christ (Ephesians 1:23). It forms one whole with Him; and the Apostle even speaks of the Church as "Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:12).
    * This union between head and members is conserved and nourished by the Holy Eucharist. Through this sacrament our incorporation into the Body of Christ is alike outwardly symbolized and inwardly actualized; "We being many are one bread, one body; for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17).

As to the effect of our actions upon the community, there is a a truth to that. Whenever we sin we tear the fabric of the community. This is why when a priest gives a penance, for example, of five Hail Marys and five Our Fathers, it means something even though it may seem to have little to do with the sins we confessed. It means something because the prayer is a form of reparation on a spiritual level -- it helps to repair that tear in the fabric of the community that was caused by our sin.

In the same manner, our living a virtuous life and practicing the works of love our positive actions help to strengthen the fabric of the community.

All this is not seen in such a microcosmic way that you were suggesting. Rather this has a overall effect to the community like air pollution or clean air effects the entire community. In essence a parish, for example, can seem to have a black cloud over it because of the sins of the parishioners. Conversely, a parish can seem to be anointed to the piety of its parishioners.

But, in terms of the direct effect of your husband's treatment of you, that is a psychological effect that is natural to the human person in general.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.