Conclusion

The Church, the Body of Christ, is characterized by a great variety of devoted Christian believers, shepherded by our overseers, together reflecting the presence of Christ in the world. Each member has his or her own role within the Body, having been given gifts bestowed on him or her by the Holy Spirit, which we use to build up the Church and to further the Kingdom of God on earth. As we wait for the coming of Christ and the resurrection of the souls and bodies of the departed, we experience God now through the sacraments which sustain us. We strive daily on the path to God, which is the ascetical life. Through our efforts and by the grace of God, we work towards the elimination of vice and culturing of virtue, whether we are living in the world or have chosen the monastic way of life. God, who has given us everything we need for a life of love, devotion, and redemption, is bringing us to Himself, our eschatological hope.