Who is the bride?

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ALLFORHIM

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Hi,
I was wondering what catholics think of this. Who do you consider to be the bride? Of course we know the bridegroom is Jesus.
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,
I was wondering what catholics think of this. Who do you consider to be the bride? Of course we know the bridegroom is Jesus.
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**The Church is the Bride of Christ **

CCC 796 The unity of Christ and the Church, head and members of one Body, also implies the distinction of the two within a personal relationship. This aspect is often expressed by the image of bridegroom and bride. The theme of Christ as Bridegroom of the Church was prepared for by the prophets and announced by John the Baptist. The Lord referred to himself as the “bridegroom.” The Apostle speaks of the whole Church and of each of the faithful, members of his Body, as a bride “betrothed” to Christ the Lord so as to become but one spirit with him. The Church is the spotless bride of the spotless Lamb. “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her.” He has joined her with himself in an everlasting covenant and never stops caring for her as for his own body:

This is the whole Christ, head and body, one formed from many . . . whether the head or members speak, it is Christ who speaks. He speaks in his role as the head (ex persona capitis) and in his role as body (ex persona corporis). What does this mean? “The two will become one flesh. This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the Church.” And the Lord himself says in the Gospel: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” They are, in fact, two different persons, yet they are one in the conjugal union, . . . as head, he calls himself the bridegroom, as body, he calls himself “bride.”
 
The Church is the Bride.
Therefore,each believer, as part of the Church, is the bride.
 
Since no one’s said it, I may always bring in the Bible here 🙂
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
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“This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church.” Can’t get much clearer than that. That verse is also, incidentally, one of the reasons marriage is a sacrament: the Greek word for “mystery” is translated into the Latin “sacramentum.”

Jeremy
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Who do you consider to be the bride? Of course we know the bridegroom is Jesus.
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The Church is the Bride of Christ. There is a strong symbolic relationship with Adam and Eve to explain this.

Jesus is the new Adam; He came to undo the sin of the original Adam. (See Ro. 5:19, 1 Cor.15:45)

The Church is the new Eve; She (the Church) is considered to be the Bride of Christ. (See Eph. 5:25-27,32)

So, when was the Church founded? Well, it is interesting to note that Eve was born from the ribs of Adam when he was in his deep sleep. So too, the Church was founded from the ribs of Christ when he was in his deep sleep (ie, death) on The Cross (see John 19:34).

The blood that poured from Christ founded the Church (see Acts 20:28). And the water that poured from Christ’s ribs made the Church spotless (see Eph. 5:26).

I don’t think it was a co-incidence that Christ was speared in the side…

(P.S. A priest, who acts in persona of Christ, shares in Christ’s nuptial relationship to the church. So, it would not be in God’s plan for a woman to “marry” the church which is also “female”. This is why Jesus only chose men to be his apostles, and this is why women can’t become priests.)
 
And as Christ is a visible, bridegroom, so too, His bride is a visible Bride.
 
apophasis said:
However, none on here actually stated that the “Bride” is the Catholic church. How is it that bit of info. was left out?
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Read my post #3. I’m quoting from the CCC which is the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Obviously the Bride is the Catholic Church which is the Church established by Christ on Peter. Its certainly not one of the 30,000 plus protestant churches.
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,
I was wondering what catholics think of this. Who do you consider to be the bride? Of course we know the bridegroom is Jesus.
Click to expand...
In his mysterious plans the Father had destined a bride for his only Son and presented her to him under the guise of prophetic images. Moses appeared and with deft hand sketched a picture of bridegroom and bride but immediately drew a veil over it. In his book he wrote that a man should leave father and mother so as to be joined to his wife, that the two might in very truth become one.
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The prophet Moses spoke of man and woman in this way in order to foretell Christ and his Church. With a prophet’s penetrating gaze he contemplated Christ becoming one with the Church through the mystery of water. He saw Christ even from the Virgin’s womb drawing the Church to himself, and the Church in the water of baptism drawing Christ to herself. Bridegroom and bride were thus wholly united in a mystical manner, which is why Moses wrote that the two should become one.
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With veiled face Moses contemplated Christ and the Church: the one he called “man” and the other “woman” so as not to reveal the full splendor of the reality.
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After the marriage celebration came Paul. He saw the veil covering their splendor and lifted it, revealing Christ and his Church to the whole world, and showing that it was they whom Moses had described in his prophetic vision.
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In an outburst of inspired joy the apostle exclaimed: This is a great mystery! He revealed the meaning of the veiled picture the prophet had called man and woman, declaring: I know that it is Christ and his Church, who were two before but have now become one.
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Wives are not united to their husbands as closely as the Church is to the Son of God. What husband but our Lord ever died for his wife, and what bride ever chose a crucified man as her husband? Who ever gave his blood as a gift to his wife except the one who died on the cross and sealed the marriage bond with his wounds? Who was ever seen lying dead at his own wedding banquet with his wife at his side seeking to console herself by embracing him? At what other celebration, at what other feast is the bridegroom’s body distributed to the guests in the form of bread?
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Death separates wives from their husbands, but in this case it is death that unites the bride to her beloved. He died on the cross, bequeathed his body to his glorious spouse, and now every day she receives and consumes it at his table. She consumes it under the form of bread, and under the form of the wine that she drinks, so that the whole world may know that they are no longer two but one.
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From here.
 
thistle said:
Read my post #3. I’m quoting from the CCC which is the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Obviously the Bride is the Catholic Church which is the Church established by Christ on Peter. Its certainly not one of the 30,000 plus protestant churches.
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And the CCC restricts it to only those “Catholic” churches that are in communion with the Roman See? Correct? In general, then, the Bride is the “Roman Catholic” church. Hence, no “churches” outside communion with the Roman See can honestly be considered part of the “Bride of Christ.” Correct?

Now, it is the “Bride” which has made herself ready in Rev. 19:7 in preparation for the “marriage of the Lamb” and the subsequent “marriage supper” of the Lamb (vs. 9). According to the passage, these take place just prior to and at the 2nd Advent of Christ.

So by your definition, NONE of the “30,000 plus protestants” or the Eastern Orthodox, or any others not under the jurisdiction of the Roman See, can be included in Rev. 19.

So therefore, if you were honest in your definition, unless one converts to Roman Catholicism he/she is not, and cannot be, part of the Bride of Christ - bottom line: not saved. Right?
 
apophasis said:
And the CCC restricts it to only those “Catholic” churches that are in communion with the Roman See? Correct? In general, then, the Bride is the “Roman Catholic” church. Hence, no “churches” outside communion with the Roman See can honestly be considered part of the “Bride of Christ.” Correct?

Now, it is the “Bride” which has made herself ready in Rev. 19:7 in preparation for the “marriage of the Lamb” and the subsequent “marriage supper” of the Lamb (vs. 9). According to the passage, these take place just prior to and at the 2nd Advent of Christ.

So by your definition, NONE of the “30,000 plus protestants” or the Eastern Orthodox, or any others not under the jurisdiction of the Roman See, can be included in Rev. 19.

So therefore, if you were honest in your definition, unless one converts to Roman Catholicism he/she is not, and cannot be, part of the Bride of Christ - bottom line: not saved. Right?
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Wrong. I suggest that you read this section of the Catechism usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p2.htm which describes all of His people as part of His Church. The Body of Christ is not something that is exclusive but inclusive. All are called. Our Baptism is our first response to that call but our entire life is a response.
 
Apophasis,

IMHO you are being needlessly argumentative. Please be advised that the Catholic Church does not teach that Protestants are not saved. The relationship to Christ and his bride is to be without spot or wrinkle and at the end of time this will indeed be the case. Nevertheless, the Christian scene today is filled with divisions which is clearly against God’s will. This lack of unity goes against everything Jesus prayed for and desires in the 17th Chapter of the gospel according to John.

The bride and bridegroom, and the marital covenant are a reflection of the unity of Christ and his Church. There was this unity in the Catholic Church for over 1000 years until the east/west schism. Even after this ninety eight percent of all beliefs and doctrines remained in common between east and west. The Reformation, however, brought about the many and substantial divisions that we see today. All of this is extremely unfortunate and I pray that reunification will occur sooner rather than later.

In any event, Jesus will return and his church will be without spot or wrinkle. There will be no divisions or factions. There will only be a holy unity of the same mind and spirit in one faith, one Lord, and one baptism. In the meantime we must all seek truth and unity. The Holy Spirit will do the heavy lifting and will give light to our hearts, minds, and spirits.

Perhaps your participation on this forum and the participation of Catholics on Protestant forums is in some small way another step in that direction.
 
apophasis said:
So by your definition, NONE of the “30,000 plus protestants” or the Eastern Orthodox, or any others not under the jurisdiction of the Roman See, can be included in Rev. 19.

So therefore, if you were honest in your definition, unless one converts to Roman Catholicism he/she is not, and cannot be, part of the Bride of Christ - bottom line: not saved. Right?
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But when someone is Baptized in the Trinitarian formula with water, they are a part of the Church. They may not like to think that, but they are, even if it is imperfectly.
 
NotWorthy said:
But when someone is Baptized in the Trinitarian formula with water, they are a part of the Church. They may not like to think that, but they are, even if it is imperfectly.
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**I concur, also, with regard to his last statment, no one knows who will be saved or not…!! Since we can fall from grace if we continue in sin and disobedience., this includes all Christians.

Jan**
 
NotWorthy said:
But when someone is Baptized in the Trinitarian formula with water, they are a part of the Church. They may not like to think that, but they are, even if it is imperfectly.
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This has been explained to apophasisin other threads and yet he/she continues to imply that the Catholic Church does not view Protestants as Christians.
 
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