Unity in Communion: Restoring the Lost Oneness
The significance of the unity of believers in the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ becomes decisive, as this act not only symbolizes the nourishment of soul and body but also restores the lost unity that was broken by sin. In other words, everyone who partakes in this sacred meal is not left isolated, but enters into a deep, living, and unified community with Christ and with brothers and sisters in Him. This unity means that all believers, by receiving the one bread and wine, become the one body of Christ, united into a single spiritual entity that embodies the very essence of the Christian faith.As noted in one source:"The sacrament of communion is the restoration of the original unity, the acceptance of the unity that the world lost in its fall, and the experience of that unity as salvation and new life. Therefore, it is said of faith that the righteous shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17), that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life (John 3:36) and will never die (John 11:26). Faith is the participation in the unity from on high, and in it a different life, eternal—a beginning. It is by grace, through the presence and fulfillment of that unity from on high—and therefore, faith—that in this world the Church is manifested. In relation to faith, it is not something else even if connected with faith, but precisely the fulfillment of faith itself, the unity whose acceptance, entry, and participation is faith." (source: link txt)It is also emphasized that through communion we not only commune with Christ Himself but also become integral members of His Body, which further strengthens the sense of community and mutual spiritual closeness:"The Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ restores the lost unity that sin destroyed. In unity lies the very essence of the Christian faith. By partaking of the one bread, we all become one body of Christ, united by one blood and as members of one another, becoming fellow members of Christ’s body. In this way, the Savior’s command is fulfilled: 'He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.' Through communion, we become partakers of the divinity of Jesus, sharing in communion with Christ and with each other. By the grace of the unity from above, the Church, in which our unity with God and among ourselves is realized, is manifested." (source: link txt)Thus, the significance of the unity of believers in communion is that through the sacrament, each person not only receives nourishment for the body but also forms a profound spiritual connection, restoring the primordial unity with God and with one another—a foundation for salvation and a new life in the Christian faith.