Corpus Mysticum: The Eucharist and Catholicity

Georges V. Florovsky defines the Church as the Body of Christ and, within it, the fullness of Christ through his Incarnation, imparting (in Augustine’s phrase) totus Christus.  The Eucharist nourished this understanding of the Church.  Thus it is a sacrament of Catholicity, as held by Cyprian.  In public prayer, the plural “we” is used, betokening the unity of the Church and that we are members of the one Body, in heaven and on earth.  The writer dwells on Orthodox eucharistic practice.  The actions express the oneness of the Church and are a true revelation of Christ and the final resurrection of all believers.  While there is a fundamental contradiction between the Church and the World, still the Christian pilgrim journeys on in a hope founded on Christ.