The Body of Christ is a metaphor of the Church where Christ is the Head and believers are members individually. The phrase “Body of Christ” refers to the basic, underlying unity between 1) the Church as the Body of Christ and 2) the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist as the Body of Christ and 3) Christ’s own physical body as the Body of Christ. Entering deeper into the mystery of the faith, perceiving the nature of the Church and understanding the purpose of the Liturgy is enhanced by emphasizing first the similitudes between these three modes of the Body of Christ. We place whatever distinctions can be made between these three ways of perceiving the Body of Christ within the unified framework of mystery. This framework of mystery regarding the Body of Christ creates an environment of exploration and imagination as to the possibilities of what it means to be the Church.
Also see Church, Mystery, and Perspectival.