Institution or Organism?

"The church needs you," Pope Francis is quoted as saying.  Of course, he said it in Spanish.  But it raises a chasm of understanding to visibility, doesn't it?

When Jesus talked about the "church", just once, he seemed to see it as an organism, something that just "is" because a few people follow his lead by faith.  Later New Testament writings continue the theme of the church as the "body of Christ" and the "people of God", for instance.  It's organic.  You are not so much "in" as an organic part of something simply by virtue of being "in Christ".  

The church doesn't "need you", to sort of quote Pope Francis.  The institution needs you.  I suspect that Jesus did not have an institution in mind, ever.  The church as institution is a human invention of timid, and sometimes power-hungry, humans.  

The church that just "is" by virtue of something important is very different from the Church which seeks to wield power, has investment scandals, and denies this or that segment of humanity their full equality in status or service.  

What do you think?  Leave a comment and let us know.