I don’t know. If you’re interested I would suggest looking at Vatican II’s
Decree on Ecumrnism - Unitatis Redintegratio .
I explained in an earlier post, seethe following link it might make it clearer.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Unity (As a Mark of the Church)
I explained in an earlier post, but look into this link. It explains far better than any explanation I might come up with.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles
It’s not Paul’s response that’s of importance, rather its Christ’s question to Paul; “why do you persecute me.”
As I tried to explain in a previous post, Acts relates a story of Paul’s miraculous vision. In order for the story to make any sense you have to understand that there is a
mia mone Catholic Church (that is one and only Catholic Church). This Church was created by Christ, commissioned by Christ, sent out to teach all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost (Cf. Matt 28:20). Without one and only one Church the vision on the road to Damascus would be meaningless. It requires at least understanding that there is existing corporate ecclesiastical body, a society founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ .
We’re told in Acts of Paul’s fervent zeal to eradicate any existing resemblance of a following after what he took to be Christ’s death. And in Paul’s mind he was dead and gone – a devout Jew can’t believe otherwise – even to this day. Paul was an obsessed dragon who had taken on the cruel oppression of Christ’s remnant following. This dragon was “…breathing … slaughter against the disciples.” As a result when “a light from heaven shined round about him” Paul had no idea who, or for that matter what, this apparition was. Hence “Who art thou, Lord?” is uttered, likely in fear.
The apparition responded “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest” (Acts 22:8). Christ the man was far beyond persecution. Arius would say that Christ wasn’t the third person in the Trinity; therefore He was dead and no threat Paul. We know Arius is wrong; Christ ascended into heaven, where his keeps to his promise to protect His Church, a Church where not even the” gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, a supernaturally connected to Christ through the sacraments (Cf. John 15:5). The individual is integral part of this body (Cf. John 15:7-12) held together and moved as single body as if by ligaments and Joints (Cf. John 15:16; Colossians 2:19). This Church has one head, Christ; and one body in service to Christ. It’s through the Church that one develops a likeness of Christ (Cf. John 15:13-15), a holiness. It’s a virtuous union leading to the fullness of Christ’s salvation (Cf. Ephesians 1:23) It’s only in this union that we become whole (Cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13). This is the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, “For we, being many, are one bread, one body: all that partake of one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:17).
Thus, Christ’s statement is meaningless when He asks Paul why do you persecute; unless Christ is talking about his Mystical body. Why didn’t the apparition say, why do you persecute my followers? Or, why didn’t He ask why do you persecute Peter‘s Church? Paul knew nothing of the early Church, but he knew where the Apostles were; but, Paul was still on the road to Damascus in his effort to find the Apostles – in the story he’s not there yet. Paul didn’t hang Jesus on the Cross that distinction goes to the Sanhedrin; therefore Paul isn’t guilty of harming Christ directly – so why is the apparition complaining of persecution? But, we do know that two years after the ascension that Paul is seen at Stephen’s stoning (Cf. Acts 7:58; 8:1), so Paul was guilty of persecuting the Church. Paul persecuted the Church for at least four years after Christ’s Crucifixion (Cf. Acts 8:1-3; Phil 3:6 – not Christ. Why then would Christ accuse Paul of persecuting Him? Unless, unless, the apparition was referring to the persecution of His Mystical Body, His Church. In order to persecute a body – it has to exist. This is just one example of why we know that there is One Body, One Faith in Christ, One Church, with One Head of that Church, Jesus Christ.
JoeT
