The Creation of the Church by Christ

"Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." John 13:20

This understanding emphasizes the interconnectedness between Christ's mission, God, and the messengers within the one body of Christ, sent to share the divine message. It encourages seeing every encounter as an opportunity to reflect God's love, to highlight the importance of spiritual openness. It calls for active participation in spreading Christ's message through acts of kindness and justice. The text reminds readers of the dual role of being both recipients and bearers of God's grace, encouraging transformative faith and service.

"Upon this rock, I will build my Church," we read in Matthew 16:18. As I reflected on John 13:16-20, the profound and divine act by which Christ founded His Church struck me, as He foretold that it would be done upon Peter. When I examined the first part of the pericope and its conclusion, I could not help but relate this to a new creation. Christ's actions and Words are rooted in power, love, sacrifice, and a promise that transcends time. I thought about the beauty of this sacred foundation, grasping its meaning and significance for us as members of this eternal body of believers.

The Divine and Universal Declaration

"Upon this rock, I will build my Church." These words were spoken to Simon Peter after his declaration of faith that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. In this moment, Christ declared Peter the foundational stone, the first among equal foundational stones, of whom Peter is primus or first. Upon this foundation, the Church would be built. But the foundation is not merely human; it is divine. Christ Himself is the cornerstone, uniting all believers in His grace and truth in a Church whose foundation is set firmly upon rock by Christ.

Peter's unique role as the "rock" signifies not only leadership and servitude, but also a foundational aspect that implies longevity, understood to be a characteristic of a building's foundation when it is set upon rock; the building will not fall. Peter was entrusted with the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, symbolizing authority and responsibility. Yet, Peter's humanity reminds us that leadership in Christ's Church is not about perfection but about faith and reliance on God. Through Peter's journey—his strengths and struggles—we see a reflection of our walk with God, reminding us that the Church is built not on human merit but on divine grace and justified in that merit.

The Sacrificial Foundation

It is important to remember that the Church was not founded on triumphant declarations alone but through the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross. His death and resurrection are the cornerstone of the Church. A new creation is about to emerge with the inauguration of His priests at the Last Supper and the washing of their feet. A new creation born of water, the earthly component, here at the washing of the feet, and the Spirit component to come. We read in Joshua 3:12-17 the foreshadowing of the priesthood's role in bringing God's people into the promised land in conjunction with the Covenant.

Christ's coming, life, and death for our salvation reflect what was seen as what will be. Not a reconfiguration but rather the completion of what came before through the reflective salvific lens of Christ. As Christ tells us, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18). Through Christ, the Law is made whole and true as in the reflection of a landscape seen in reverse in the mountain lake. An exact copy or image in reverse, not abolished but fulfilled.

The Lord commands Joshua to have twelve priests carry the Ark of the Covenant and provide his people a way or passage. When the priests' feet touch the waters, the waters stop flowing, and as the priests remain in the middle of the river, the whole of God's chosen people are allowed to pass into the Promised Land. In John's Gospel (13:8-20), Christ washes the feet of the twelve apostles. This mirrored act reflects the effect of the Word made flesh. It's not that they need to be cleansed or purified, as we see in verse 10, but rather to give them something they do not understand, as Christ states in verse 7, His inheritance, as He expresses in verse 8.

He is bringing the water of creation to them. The reality is we see the reflection of it in the peace and calm that is Christ. As the Levite priests' feet touched the Jordan waters, they opened up the pathway to the Promised Land via the Ark of the Old Covenant; so too, here Christ is initiating the new order of priests who will bring forth the new Covenant, the Blessed Sacrament of His body and Blood, the food of eternal life. Just as in a mirror, Christ is the reverse image of the Old Covenant, bringing in the new Covenant, fulfilling the Old. Christ's obedience is the reverse image of Adam's disobedience: here, Christ brings the water to the feet of the priests to open the pathway for the new Covenant to lead His people to the promised land of eternal life with His inheritance, a mirror to what God brought forth through Joshua and the 12 priests of old on the path to His people's salvation.

All things must be born of water and the Spirit if they are to have eternal life, as Christ explained to Nicodemus, so too must His eternal Church be born of water and the Spirit. The water of creation has been brought to the newly formed clay of the chosen ones that will become the Church created upon the twelve, with Peter declared emphatically as its head. The Church, through its Bishops and priests, is called to conform itself to Christ intimately, in whose image it is created, who came not to be served but to serve (Mt 20:28), and, compelled by charity to the end (John 13:1), to give its life for the salvation of the whole human race.[i]

Christ's Church, the bearer of the new Covenant, is born into eternal life when God's breath touches its very soul, the foundation of the chosen ones, as we read in John 20:21-23—the breath of the Holy Spirit fell upon the whole of the Church within the unity of the twelve. A new creation made in the likeness of Christ, created into eternal life through water and the Spirit, and the gates of hell will never prevail against it. Not as individuals separate from the whole, but as a new Creation in unity, His Church, one body in Christ, created anew in His image. A living and breathing entity destined to show the world the path to eternal life as the reflected Ark bearers of old.

I believe that the absence of Thomas was divine intervention, that the new creation is for all, both then and now, who are chosen and accept the call into the priesthood just as Thomas had, becoming new creations through the water and Spirit that Christ gives to the eleven present and then also to Thomas. All those who are a part of the Body of Christ are made whole with the sealing of the Advocate, who then passes to all generations to come in the Apostolic succession and to those whom the episcopate chooses to gift with ordination into Holy orders, which is the Catholic Church and the priesthood of the Catholic Church. However, the sad reality that Christ teaches is that the hardness of hearts remains with us. The Church will have many weeds amongst the wheat, just as Judas Iscariot was also amongst the twelve in the new creation, we too, and all generations to come, will have our Judases.

The priestly order instituted by the Word Made Flesh, Christ Speaks, and the will of the Father is fulfilled just as we read in the beginning of Creation. A foreshadowing is seen in Numbers 11:24-25, where those who are chosen are given the spirit of Moses, which is shared with them when God our Father speaks His Word. Christ, the Word Made Flesh, speaks, and the Church is created upon the foundational waters of the priesthood instituted at the Last Supper.

Christ established the new Covenant through His blood, inviting humanity into an unbreakable and eternal relationship with God through His Church. Every brick of the Church is laid through the love and sacrifice of our Savior, whose transformative and creative Words have given us the Church we have, for that salvation to be manifested in us through the Mass.

The Gifts of the Spirit

Christ did not leave His Church unprepared. Once the Church, as a new creation, was complete, the Advocate, the bearer of wisdom, was sent. After His ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, not as the creative force seen in Genesis or at the breathing of the Holy Spirit upon the eleven in the upper room, but rather as the prophetic and holy knowledge of the Father, empowering His newly created Church to carry out the mission of spreading the Gospel, mirroring the Spirit that was placed upon the elders of Numbers 11:24-25. The Spirit breathed life into the void of the waters that covered it, the Church, uniting its members in love, purpose, and divine guidance. The gifts of the Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—continue to sustain and guide the Church in its mission today. This creation will never fall to the gates of Hell, it is eternal. Once more, a mirrored reflection; the reflection of the Church in Heaven here on earth

The Church created by Christ's Word and upon whom the Advocate is sent is the bearer of understanding, not personal interpretation (1 Peter 1:20), but the unified consent and decree of the Catholic Church. The Word creates, and the Advocate instructs. The Magisterium, the newly created life of the Church, made whole and complete, is the arbiter of righteousness and the Will of God, not as individuals but as an entire body made up of individuals. The chosen of God, declaring the Will of God through Christ and the creation that He gave us, His Church, built upon Peter, made anew in the ten, and made complete by the welcoming of Thomas and later Matthias. All of this foreshadows the Church as we know it today, empowered by the authority given to it upon its creation in John 20:21-22.

Confirmation and the Advocate

The Sacrament of Confirmation holds a profound place in Catholic theology and practice, serving as a seal of the Holy Spirit upon the faithful and completing the grace first received in the rebirth of new creations at Baptism. It is a moment of spiritual empowerment, where the individual is not only affirmed but also commissioned to live out their faith boldly, as a witness to Christ in the world. This sacrament deepens the bond with the Church and strengthens the commitment to its mission: to proclaim the Gospel, nurture faith, and bring the light of Christ to others.

The Holy Spirit plays a central role in the understanding and celebration of Confirmation—a laying on of hands that imparts the Holy Spirit, a part of the Advocate, to those who are worthy, just as we see with Moses and the Words of God. The Holy Spirit is the bearer of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

These gifts, bestowed upon the confirmand, are not merely symbolic but transformative, enabling the faithful to live courageously as disciples of Christ. Just as the Spirit descended upon the disciples at Pentecost, filling them with divine courage and understanding, so too does the Spirit empower those who receive Confirmation through the laying of hands by the Bishop, a transference of the Advocate of Pentecost handed down in succession from the Apostles, uniting them with the Church's mission and strengthening them in their spiritual journey.

Confirmation is a moment of renewal and commissioning. It mirrors the outpouring of the Spirit upon the elders in Numbers 11:24-25 and the breath of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles in John 20:21-22. The Church itself, born of water and Spirit, becomes a living testament to God's enduring presence. Through Confirmation, the faithful are invited to participate fully in this divine creation of water and Spirit at their baptism. The Advocate does not abandon the Church but remains its guide and sustainer, ensuring that its mission aligns with God's will.

For Catholics, Confirmation is not simply a rite of passage but a profound encounter with the Advocate, which the Bishop gifts to them a part of the Holy Spirit that rests upon him through the laying of hands. The Holy Spirit then strengthens or empowers them to live out their calling. The very same Advocate that descended upon the Apostles and Scripture teaches is passed by the laying of the Hands of the Apostles. The Sacrament of Confirmation serves as a reminder that faith is not static but dynamic, requiring courage, love, and a commitment to serving others. As the Church moves forward in its divine mission, each confirmed member carries the gifts of the Spirit, bearing witness to the Kingdom of God and the eternal promises of Christ. The Advocate ensures that the Church, as a new creation, remains united, holy, and empowered to fulfill the Great Commission.

In Confirmation, the faithful are reminded that they are part of a greater whole—a universal Church founded by Christ, sustained by the Spirit, and destined for eternal glory. Through this sacrament, they are called to become faithful witnesses of Christ's love, serving as instruments of peace, hope, and redemption in the world.

The Mission of the Church

Christ's Church was founded with a clear mission: to make disciples of all nations, reborn in baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This Great Commission is both a privilege and a responsibility for every believer. The Church exists to proclaim the Gospel, nurture faith, and serve as a beacon of hope and love in a world that often feels dark and divided.

A Universal and Eternal Body

Walls or borders do not confine the Church; it is universal, encompassing believers across time, culture, and geography. It is the living body of Christ born anew in His Church, a spiritual home for all who seek truth and salvation. Through the sacraments, the Word, and the community of faith, the Church continues to fulfill its mission, reflecting the light of Christ to the world.

As members of Christ's Church, we are called to be active participants in this divine mission, living out our faith with courage and compassion, serving one another, and being witnesses to Christ's love. It means embracing the teachings of the Church, seeking personal holiness, and contributing to the growth of this sacred community. Above all, it means trusting in the promise that the gates of Hades will not overcome the Church, for it is a new creation founded through and in Christ Himself.

Conclusion

The creation of Christ's Church is not a monument but a living, breathing testament to God's love and redemption. It is a community created in faith, sustained by grace, and destined for eternal glory. As members of this divine institution, let us honor its foundation by living lives that reflect the teachings and love of Christ, as promulgated by His true Church, knowing that through Him, we are united as one body, one Spirit, and one eternal heavenly Church, manifested within the one true Church here on earth.

Amen.

[i] An excerpt from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 6 January 2016, Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Robert Card. Sarah, Prefect