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A more cohesive explanation is in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), in numbers 787-795, but it remains a mystery because we believe it by Faith. "When with St. Paul, we call the Church "The Body of Christ," we recall that it is His visible revelation through the ages, as He was in His physical body the revelation of the Father. When we call it His "Mystical Body," we recall that it is in itself a mystery that our minds can never fully exhaust. And in recalling these things, we bring to mind the great calling that is ours in the Church to reveal the divine life at work in us."¹ The concept "The Body of Christ" which generally is meant to indicate the Catholic Church, is a frequently referenced mystery in Catholic teaching. Referring to CCC#795: "Christ and his Church thus together make up the "whole Christ." The Church is one with Christ." But we refer to the "Body of Christ" in another way, in Holy Communion, the Eucharist, by consecrating bread and wine, a commemoration of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine saying, "This is my blood." And, when we partake of the Eucharist, we know that He is present in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. During each and every Holy Mass, Jesus is present and we are, along with Him, the Body of Christ. A mystery, which we understand by Faith, but cannot truly explain. At the feast of Pentecost, celebrated 50 days after Easter, the Apostles were enlightened by the Holy Spirit and began to understand the meaning of Jesus Christ, His teaching, His Crucifixion, and Easter, and to some degree, so do we. We may call upon the Holy Spirit anytime, we don't have to wait till Pentecost, and so we have God's help in contemplating these mysterious truths. He lives in us, and in our midst, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Blessed Trinity. "Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit as the soul of His Church, the soul which guides and inspires it infallibly to reproduce the life of Jesus in all the centuries until He will come again."¹ But Jesus is never far off - He is accessible to us in a very personal way. When we call him in prayer, He will be with us, guiding us in the difficult parts of our lives, as if he were right next to us, as a father, or brother. He is! His glory is eternal, we know Him, we are His! If you are a reader of the Old Testament, you'll have read in several places that God made a covenant with his people. "This is the Covenant by which God guarantees that He will reveal Himself in His new people in Christ, somewhat like the way He revealed Himself in the old Covenant with Israel."¹ Jesus said, at the Last Supper, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." (Luke 22:20), and St. Peter comments in 1 Pet. 2:9, "you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." Speak to Jesus often, in prayer, contemplation, and to His Holy Mother Mary, the Queen of the Franciscan Order, and our Mother, and ask them to clarify to you, this great Mystery - the Body of Christ. Until we see Him face to face, an explanation will probably remain a mystery. May Our Lord bless you and keep you, Fred Schaeffer, SFO ------------------------ |
