Each month, I offer a thought on the Sunday experience in a series entitled Mass Communication.

Last month, we considered liturgy as primary theology and the celebration of mystery. As we think about liturgy, it is essential to remember that Christ has three bodies, and these three are one: the glorified body of Christ given flesh through the Virgin Mary, the Eucharist, and the Church. When we speak about Christ’s presence in this threefold way, we distinguish the three to understand the mystery as best we can. 
The first distinction of Christ’s body is the Jesus of history. The historical Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, healed the sick, and raised the dead. The Jesus of history was crucified, died, and buried. On the third day, he rose from the dead! The same Jesus is now glorified and sits at the Father’s right hand, making intercession for us. These are the truths we profess each Sunday in the Nicene Creed. This same historical Jesus is the Jesus of faith, which we find in the Eucharist and the Church. As a reminder, we only make these distinctions to help our intellect and enliven our hearts to understand the mystery as best we can. 
Christ, in his singular body, intertwines his essence with our human experience through the Church. Being part of the Church is not a mere membership, but an invitation to a familial bond, with Christ as our head.