Lesson 2:
Church as Christ’s Body
Learning
Competencies:
Doctrine: Discuss the similarity of the Body of Christ with the human body
Morals: Live out their roles as members of the Body of Christ
Worship: Praise and thank God as members of the Body of Christ
Opening Prayer:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(For Catholic pupils only)
Loving Father, we are grateful for your Son, Jesus, Your perfect gift of grace. We know our
eternal future is secure because all you have done for me through our Lord, Jesus. You have
made me yours forever. Nothing can remove us from your hand. We are safe and secure in your
unchanging love. How can we begin to thank you, with our lives? We give you our all and our love
you. Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(For Catholic pupils only)
Building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God.
cf. Ephesians 4:12–1
LET’S GET MOTIVATED
What I Remember Essentially
Activity 1: Study the picture.
Then, answer the questions that follow.
1. What is your role in the class where you belong
before?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Insert picture 2. How do you take part in the development of every
member of the class?
1
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___________________________________________
___________________________________________
LET’S GET STARTED
Activity 2: Direction: Share anything you learned about the sense organs in your Science class.
Share the importance of each body part. Refer and write your answers under “Our Precious Body”
activity in the worksheet. This is to know the importance of taking care of the body.
EXPLORE MORE!
Activity 3: Direction: Read the story about realization of a young boy.
Then, answer the questions that follow.
Among your siblings, what is your order in the family you belong to?
What is your usual role in your household? How do you treat all the family members?
Family members differ in age, roles, and duties based on their order in the home. Here is a young
man’s narrative about how his younger sibling mimics him in all he does. Read his realizations as
well.
My Role in My Family Every boy or girl, young gentleman and young lady, possesses a certain
role in the family. Their roles go so much deeper than that of mother, father, sister, or brother. Their
roles extend to that of a teacher, student, hero, or friend. One’s role in his or her family is determined
not by what he or she is, but by who he or she is. When it comes to my family, I am more than just a
relative because I am an example and a guide. For instance, my little brother is a three year-old and he
idolizes me and mimics everything that I do. He looks up to me and notices and believes that everything
that I do and say is right.
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For example, one day I was playing music in my room and he came in and watched me. Then, no
more than two hours later, I heard music coming from my room and I went up there to see who it was.
Much to my surprise, there was my brother singing and dancing to the same song that I was playing
earlier. He even watches the same shows that I watch on television. To cite an instance, if I am not in
school, I like to watch my favorite Japanese anime program Naruto an hour every night before I do my
homework. But, on many occasions, when I came home about an hour into the program I found my
brother sitting in my room and watching the same anime with the same enthusiasm and excitement I
have when I watch it. When my brother watches me act, he reacts. He sees me and picks up every single
one of my habits whether they are good or bad. In many ways, I am his leader and he is my follower. It
is my responsibility to teach him right from wrong if I want him to grow up and make the right
decisions.
Similarly, while I am a teacher to my brother, I am a student of my parents. At sixteen, I am still
amazed about learning from my parents directly and indirectly. Indeed, I still learn many things from
them. Just when I think that I know many things, they continue to surprise me with their knowledge. I
have not only gained so much from my father, but
I have also learned many things from my mother’s about life.
1. What does the narrative tell you?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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2. Enumerate some of the realizations the person in the narrative had shared.
_____________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________
3. What do you think would happen to the young brother when he grows up? Elaborate your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
LET’S GET FOCUSED
Biblical foundations
In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul uses the human body to describe the Church as
the Body of Christ. He points out our important roles and functions as members of the Church,
as well as the importance of unity among us.
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As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though
many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many. If a foot should say, “Because I am not a
hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or
if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for
this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were
hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of
them in the body as he intended. If they were all in one part, where would the body be? But
as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honoured, all the parts share its
joy. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
—1 Cor 12:12–20, 26–27
Church Teachings
The Church is not just like a body, but is the Body of Christ, really made one in Him, in
His “mystical” body. “Mystical” does not mean “unreal,” but rather a reality not limited to
sensible appearances. Christ’s “body,” then, can refer to the physical body of the historical
Jesus, assumed at the Incarnation
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The physical body of the historical Jesus, assumed at the Incarnation (cf. Jn 1:14);
His Eucharistic body, making sacramentally present to us the Person of the Risen Christ in
his saving sacrifice; or
His mystical body, the Church, the faithful united to Christ as their Head, and united and
vivified by His spirit.
UNITY IN DIVERSITY. “Within Christ’s Body, the Church, there is a great variety of members
and functions” (PCP II 91–94). This means that the unity of the Body of Christ is not mere
uniformity.
Rather, “there are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms
of service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all
of them in everyone” (1 Cor. 12:4–6).
—CFC 1385–1387
Activity 4:
1. What does the word “mystical” mean?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What does each of the following say about the Body of Christ?
a. physical body
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_______________________________________________________________________
b. Eucharistic body
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
THINK DEEPLY
“By this we
know that we remain
in him and he in us,
that He has given us
of his Spirit…” (1 Jn
4:13).
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Merging Insights for
Integration
Ignacian Core/Related Value: Faith / Strong Faith in God
Doctrine: Why is the Church called the mystical body of Christ?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Moral: What will you do to consistently be part or member of the Church as Christ’s mystical
body?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Worship: Express fervently Psalm 84:2–13. Bible scanning . . .
Social Issues: Bayanihan to heal as one act
People nowadays are concerning about food as primary needs to survive. Many of us has a
good and kind heart to share something to others. However, it is also evident that many are
self-centered they did not think/consider others who are also in need.
Lesson Across Discipline: Science
There are parts of our body that has individual task to move the entire body. Similar to the
church, we have different backgrounds and role in the church to achieve the Kingdom of
God.
UNLOCKING
DIFFICULTIES
Physical – relating to things perceived through the senses as opposed to the mind;
tangible or concrete
Eucharistic – this concerns the Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in
which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed
Mystical – inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination
Reference
Live Your Faith Everyday Series (In the Life and Mission of the Church): RVM Christin
Living Series 1st Edition. Author: Regino Maximo A. Malundas & James Christian G.
Botanes
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
Catechism for Filipino Family (CFC)
New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSVB)
Internet
o Catholictradition.org
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o Sichristianchurch.org
Activitie
s
Name: _________________________________ Score: ___________________
A. Put a check mark on the line if the statement is true, or a cross mark if it is false.
___1. All baptized Catholics are members of Christ’s Body—the Church.
___2. The unity of the Body of Christ is not mere uniformity.
___3. The letter of Saint John teaches that we have different gifts from God.
___4. As one Church, Saint Peter is our head and we are parts of its body.
___5. As member of the Church, we are obliged to do God’s will.
___6. The mystical body of Christ refers to the Church.
___7. Jesus is our Head and we are parts of His body.
___8. Jesus does not play any significant role in our decisions.
___9. Mystical means reality.
___10. We need to remain unfaithful to Christ as our Head.
B. Reflect on and complete the following statement. I am a member of Christ’s Mystical Body,
so I will . . .
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Reflect this verse and think of your personal commitment to the Church. Write your answers
below.
MY COMMETMENT TO THE CHURCH
CRITERIA: Content 5; Relevance 5 = 10 points
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End this session with a prayer:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(For Catholic pupils only)
Father, thank You for Your Son, Jesus, your perfect gift of grace.
We know our eternal future is secure because all you have done for me through our Lord, Jesus.
You have made me yours forever. Nothing can remove us from your hand.
We are safe and secure in your unchanging love.
How can we begin to thank you, with our lives?
We give you our all and love you.
Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(For Catholic pupils only)
