On the Jewish feast of Pentecost, Jesus' disciples gathered in Jerusalem.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to
them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of
them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
(Acts of the Apostles 2:24)
The Holy Spirit had come to Jesus' followers just as Jesus had promised. Now the disciples were prepared to go forth and carry out Jesus' mission. Peter, the leader of the Apostles, went outside and spoke to the crowd that was gathered there. He declared that Jesus was the Messiah, the anointed one of God. Then he proclaimed a message that has remained the invitation to follow Jesus:
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:38)
Ever since then, membership in the Church has been based on faith in Jesus and signified through baptism of water and the Holy Spirit.
After Pentecost, the Church began to take shape as:
-
a fellowship of people
-
brought together and sustained by Christ
-
as a community of faith, hope, and love
-
receiving (through Scripture, tradition, and the sacraments) the grace and truth of God.
In other words, the Church is an organized group of people who wish to pattern their lives after the example of Jesus Christ. Christians dedicate themselves in faith to God, to hope for the future, and to love all people. Guided by the ever-present Holy Spirit, they receive the grace and truth of God through Scripture and the Church's teachings and sacraments. They worship together in community. Communion with God and all believers is what the Church is all about.