The Figure, Nature and Salvational Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church

Iz otajstva Crkve proizlazi poziv upućen svim članovima mističnog Tijela da aktivno sudjeluju u poslanju i izgradnji Božjega naroda u organskom zajedništvu, prema različitim službama i karizmama. Odjek takvoga poziva neprestano odzvanja u dokumentima učiteljstva, a posebno u dokumentima Drugoga vatikanskog koncila i nakon njega. Svi su vjernici ohrabreni da izgrađuju Crkvu surađujući zajedno na spasenju svijeta. Ovaj članak analizira nadasve dogmatske temelje s obzirom na lik, narav, dostojanstvo, položaj, te posebno spasenjsko poslanje vjernika laika u Crkvi. Spasenjsko poslanje vjernika laika u Crkvi nastaje njihovim sudjelovanjem u trostrukoj Kristovoj službi svećenika, proroka i kralja koje nalazi svoj temelj u sakramentu krsta po kojem svi Kristovi vjernici imaju jednako dostojanstvo i zajedničko poslanje. Riječ je o sudjelovanju koje je darovano vjernicima laicima, ali samo ukoliko tvore jedinstveno tijelo Gospodnje. I baš zato što se sudjelovanje vjernika laika u trostrukoj službi Kristovoj izvodi iz crkvenog zajedništva, mora se živjeti i ostvarivati u zajedništvu i za rast toga istog zajedništva. Stoga je potrebna što bolja suradnja svih vjernika na oba područja poslanja Crkve, bilo onom duhovnom, da donosi ljudima vijest o Kristu i njegovoj milosti, bilo onom vremenitom, da prožima i usavršava vremeniti red evanđeoskim duhom.The source of the call addressed to all members of the Mystical Body to participate actively in the mission and edification of the People of God is to be found in the mystery of the Church. The People of God participate in this call through the dynamics of an organic communion in accord with their diverse ministries and charismas. The call has been forcefully repeated in the documents of the Magisterium, particularly in Second Vatican Council documents and thereafter. These Assemblies encouraged all the faithful to build up the Church by collaborating in communion for the salvation of the world. This article analyzes above all dogmatic fundamentals in consideration of the figure, nature, dignity, position and in particular of the lay faithful\u27s salvational mission in the Church. The lay faithful\u27s salvational mission in the Church is realized through their participation in the threefold mission of Christ as a Priest, Prophet and King, wich finds its source in the anointing of Baptism which creates the same dignity and the common mission by all Christ\u27s faithful. It is a participation given to each member of the lay faithful individually, in as much as each is one of the many who form the one Body of the Lord. Precisely because it derives from Church communion, the sharing of the lay faithful in the threefold mission of Christ reguires that it be lived and realized in communion and for the growth of that communion itself. In effect, a collaboration of all the faithful exists in both orders of the Church\u27s mission; whether it is in the spiritual order, bringing the message of Christ and his grace to men, or, in the temporal one, permeating and perfecting secular reality with the evangelical spirit