The Mystical Body of Christ

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

The Church teaches that life in Christ begins with baptism and is nourished by our frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ. In his 1943 encyclical, “Mystici Corporis Christi” (The Mystical Body of Christ), Pope Pius XII writes: “If we would define this true Church of Jesus Christ … we shall find no expression more noble, more sublime or more divine than the phrase which calls it the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ” (#13).

The image of the Body of Christ celebrates the incarnation of the Word of God, his humanity and his real presence among us in the sacrament he gave us the night before he suffered and died for us. It also celebrates one of the most profound teachings of our Catholic faith—that all baptized Christians have been united with Christ and have become his mystical Body, the Church. St. Paul teaches that Christ is the head of the Church, and we are all united to him. As such, we form one body unified in our diversity and dedicated to the supernatural growth and transformation of the entire world in Christ.

The Second Vatican Council and all recent popes have reinforced this teaching about the absolute unity of Christ and his Church and its powerful, sacramental expression in the Eucharist. Our unity as Christians is guaranteed by our participation in the life of Christ, which is accomplished once and for all at baptism and nurtured, restored and sanctified by our frequent reception of his Most Holy Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

St. Mark’s Gospel records the words used by our Redeemer when he first instituted this great sacrament:

While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God (Mk 14:12–16, 22–26).

Jesus has given us this precious gift of himself, and he has asked that we repeat his words often so that we can become in our own lives what Jesus is for us and for the world: people who care for the needs of all our sisters and brothers.

Continue reading Cardinal Joseph Tobin’s latest newsletter.