7. CHRIST AS HEAD OF HIS CHURCH
 

CHRIST IS THE HEAD of His Church. This is a truth which is profoundly significant for all men, especially the members of His Church. Christ is the head of the Church and the Church is His Mystical Body. The terms "head" and "body" are used in comparison with the head and body of a man. The head of a man is the first part of his body, beginning from the top down. The head is also his noblest part, for in it we find all the senses of man ----- sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch, the imagination and reason ----- whereas in the rest of the body we find only the sense of touch. The head is also the power which rules the rest of the body, for in it we find the brain, which moves all the parts of the body to their different actions for the good of the whole body. Now Christ plays all these roles in relation to His Church. He is the first, or the topmost, part of the Church, for He is the first-born of all the sons of God through grace. He is the noblest or most perfect part of the Church, for He possesses the absolute fullness of grace. Through His graces, He is the closest human being to God and His soul is the instrument by which the wisdom and power of God become active in the world of men. He is the Teacher, the Ruler and the Sanctifier of all men. Lastly, as the head directs the members of the body to the good of the whole, as the head gives life and movement to the body, so, too, Christ directs the members of the Church to the good of the whole Church and imparts life to all the members of His Church. Christ possesses the grace of headship because He bestows grace on all.