Monsignor Pope Ping!
When Jesus returns again he comes as the lion and not the lamb.
A church is analogous to a hospital ship.
Neither. It’s a fishing trawler..................
No. It’s a lighthouse, shining the light of eternal truth to guide man through the darkness.
I always pictured an aircraft carrier, myself.
Somebody needs to stop the Captain from putting holes in the hull.
Misleading title, I thought you were talking about the true church, the body of Christ, not some organization.
Just as an aside, is anyone else as annoyed as I am when the mainstream press refers to any warship as a “battleship”? I’ve seen the term used to describe ships as small as frigates.
Is there a "Onward Christian Soldiers"....?
It’s a mixed bag. There are those in hit who are battleships, those who are cruise ship and those who are tramp steamers.
Actually, the post-vatican 2 ship is the Titanic.
Exactly right. We can use one metaphor one day, and other on another day, and a third a week from Tuesday, because they're metaphors!
St. Paul compared the Church to "God's field" and "God's building" in the same sentence.
There are many cruise ships and no battleships so I say neither.
Churches are not rest homes for saints; Churches are hospitals for sinners.
A letter by St Boniface
The careful shepherd watches over Christ’s flock
In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of lifes different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.
The ancient fathers showed us how we should carry out this duty: Clement, Cornelius and many others in the city of Rome, Cyprian at Carthage, Athanasius at Alexandria. They all lived under emperors who were pagans; they all steered Christs ship or rather his most dear spouse, the Church. This they did by teaching and defending her, by their labours and sufferings, even to the shedding of blood.
I am terrified when I think of all this. Fear and trembling came upon me and the darkness of my sins almost covered me. I would gladly give up the task of guiding the Church which I have accepted if I could find such an action warranted by the example of the fathers or by holy Scripture.
Since this is the case, and since the truth can be assaulted but never defeated or falsified, with our tired mind let us turn to the words of Solomon: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own prudence. Think on him in all your ways, and he will guide your steps. In another place he says: The name of the Lord is an impregnable tower. The just man seeks refuge in it and he will be saved.
Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon Gods strengthening aid and say to him: O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations.
Let us trust in him who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear let us bear with the help of Christ. For he is all-powerful and he tells us: My yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Let us continue the fight on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us; if God so wills, let us die for the holy laws of our fathers, so that we may deserve to obtain an eternal inheritance with them.
Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christs flock. Let us preach the whole of Gods plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season, as Saint Gregory writes in his book of Pastoral Instruction.