God’s initiative in choosing Israel was meant as a foreshadowing of the Church, the new People of God purchased by the blood of the Lamb

At the General Audience of 6 November the Holy Father continued his catechesis on the Church. In the 13th talk of the series he discussed how the People of God in the Old Testament have been brought to fulfillment in the New. Here is a translation of the Pope's address, which he gave in Italian.

1. We can also begin this catechesis, following the programme and method which we have chosen, by reading a passage from the Council's constitution Lumen gentium, which says: "God has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness.... He established a covenant with them. He gradually instructed people— in its history manifesting both himself and the decree of his will—and made it holy unto himself'" (Lumen gentium, n. 9). The subject of the preceding catechesis was this People of God of the old covenant. But the Council immediately adds that "All these things, however, happened as a preparation and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ, and of the fuller revelation which was to be given through the Word of God made flesh" (Lumen gentium, n. 9). The entire passage quoted from the Council's constitution on the Church is found at the beginning of chapter II, entitled "The People of God". Indeed, according to the Council the Church is the People of God of the new covenant. This is the idea already expressed by St Peter to the first Christian communities: "Once you were 'no people', but now you are God's people" (1 Pt 2:10).

2. In her historical reality and theological mystery the Church comes from the People of God of the old covenant. Although designated by the term qahal (i.e., assembly), nevertheless from the New Testament it is clear that the Church is the People of God established in a new way through Christ and in virtue of the Holy Spirit.

St Paul writes in the Second Letter to the Corinthians: "For we are the temple of the living God; as God said: 'I will live with them and move among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people' " (2 Cor 6:16). The People of God is established in a new way, because all those who believe in Christ are part of it, with "no distinction" between Jew and non-Jew (cf. Acts 15:9). St Peter says this clearly in the Acts of the Apostles when he describes "how God first concerned himself with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name" (Acts 15:14). And St James declares that "the words of the prophets agree with this" (Acts 15:15).

Another confirmation of this perspective is given by St Paul during his first stay in the pagan city of Corinth, when he heard these words of Christ: "Do not be afraid. Go on speaking ... for I have many people in this city" (Acts 18:9-10). Lastly, there is a proclamation in Revelation: "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them" (Rv 21: 3).

All this clearly shows that from the beginning the Church was conscious of the continuity and, at the same time, the newness of her own reality as the People of God.

3. In the Old Testament Israel already owed its existence as the People of God to God's choice and initiative. However this people was limited to a single nation. The new People of God goes beyond this limitation. It includes people of all nations, languages and races. It has a universal character, i.e., it is catholic. As the Council says: "Christ instituted this new covenant, namely the new covenant in his blood (cf. 1 Cor 11:25); he called a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit, and this race would be the new People of God" (Lumen gentium, n. 9). The basis of this newness— universalism—is the redemption accomplished by Christ. He "also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood" (Heb 13:12). "Therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people" (Heb 2:17).

4. Thus the people of the new covenant was formed. This covenant was proclaimed by the prophets of the Old Testament, particularly Jeremiah and Ezekiel. We read in Jeremiah: "The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (Jer 31:31). "This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jer 31:33).

The prophet Ezekiel more clearly reveals the prospect of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in which the new covenant will be fulfilled: "I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees" (Ez 36:26-27).

5. The Council especially draws on the First Letter of Peter for its teaching about the People of God of the new covenant, which is the heir of the people of the old one: "Those who believe in Christ, who are reborn, not from a corruptible seed, but from an incorruptible one through the word of the living God (cf. 1 Pt 1:23), not from flesh, but from water and the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5-6), are finally established as 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation ... who in times past were not a people, but now are the People of God'" (Lumen gentium, n. 9). As you see, this teaching of the Council emphasizes, with St Peter, the continuity of the People of God with that of the old covenant, but it also brings out what in a certain sense is the absolute newness of the new people who are established in virtue of Christ's redemption, set apart (i.e., purchased) by the blood of the Lamb.

6. The Council describes this newness of the "messianic people", which "has as its head Christ, 'who was delivered up for our sins and rose again for our justification' (Rom 4:25).... The state of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple. Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us (cf. Jn 13:34). Its destiny is the kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it is brought to perfection by him at the end of time when Christ our life (cf. Col 3:4) will appear and 'creation itself also will be delivered from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the sons of God' (Rom 8:21)" (Lumen gentium, n. 9).

7. This is how the Church is described as the People of God of the new covenant (cf. Lumen gentium, n. 9), the nucleus of the new humanity which has been called in its entirety to be part of the new people. The Council adds: "That messianic people, although it does not actually include all men, and at times may appear as a small flock, is, however, a most sure seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race. Established by Christ as a communion of life, love and truth, it is taken up by him also as the instrument for the salvation of all; as the light of the world and the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 5:13-16) it is sent forth into the whole world" (Lumen gentium, n. 9).

We will devote the next catechesis to this basic and fascinating topic.