:: St. Stephen's Musings ::

:: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 ::

Communio Sanctorum

I was going through some old files today and I stumbled across this great quote from Bishop Kallistos Ware on the relationshiop of the Church and the Eucharist. Now that I am in second year Latin, I can see his point even more clearly:

"The correlation between Church and Eucharist is evident in the double
sense borne by two familiar phrases, *communio sanctorum* and "Body
of Christ." The word *sanctorum,* in the expression *communio
sanctorum,* can be either masculine or neuter; and so the phrase means
equally "communion of holy persons" (communion of saints) and
"communion in the holy things (Eucharistic communion)." "Body of
Christ," in the same way, signifies both the ecclesial Body of the Church
and the Sacramental Body of Christ received in Holy Communion. Certainly
the double sense of both these phrases is not fortuitous ambiguity, but
indicates an essential interconnection. In each instance there is no need for
us tomake a choice between the two meanings, but it is possible -- and, indeed,
necessary -- for us to assert *both* meanings simultaneously. We become a
part of the communion of saints by communicating in the Holy Gifts; we
become members of Christ's Body the Church through the common sharing
in His Body at the Eucharist."

Bishop Ware highlights the beauty of holding two paradoxical ideas or realities together at once. This is truly a profound mystery! It reminds me of the last lines of C.S. Lewis' essay "The Weight of Glory" where he points out that the two most holy objects in the world are 1) the Eucharist and 2) our neighbor!

I highly recommned you to read James' Dec 31st entry titled, A Touchy Feely Faith - Relics and Sacraments

Excellent musings on this idea of the Eucharist, the Incarnation, etc.

Happy New Year!

:: Karl :: 2:32:00 PM [Link] ::