RE - Y9 - Communion in One Body

This lesson focuses on the ecclesiology of the early Church, moving from the leadership of Peter and Paul to the communal identity of the first Christians.

• Recap Leadership: Review the complementary roles of St. Peter (authority) and St. Paul (mission) in establishing the Church.
• Define the ‘Mystical Body’: Understand Paul’s theological concept of the Church as the Corpus Christi Quod est Ecclesia.
• Examine Communal Living: Explore how equality and shared resources defined the first Christian communities in Acts.
• Analyse Unity: Evaluate the scriptural basis (1 Corinthians 12) for unity and the Holy Spirit’s role in animating the Church.

Task: In the center of your page, draw a large outline of a human body to represent the ‘Body of Christ’.

Labeling Instructions:

1. The Head: Label as Jesus Christ (the source of authority and life).
2. The Hands/Feet: Label with the roles of St. Peter and St. Paul (the active mission and movement of the Church).
3. The Diverse Organs: Assign different modern and ancient roles (Teachers, Healers, Helpers, Leaders) to different parts of the body.
4. The Breath: Use a different color to represent the Holy Spirit, flowing through the entire body to create unity.

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 12:12

Critical Thinking Question:
If every member of a community has a different role, how does the “Mystical Body” concept prevent some people from feeling more important than others?