the Church

I always thought I understood what was meant by the church being the Body of Christ, but I don't think I ever really understood it until I became Catholic.  The Catholic Church takes this especially seriously and literally.  I've been thinking about this a lot as I reflect on the services of Holy Week so far.  On Holy Thursday I watched my church family wash each other's feet.  I saw a father's feet washed by his 5 year old daughter, then watched her eleven year old brother wash her feet.  I watched as my husband washed the feet of another RCIA team member and then I washed his feet.  I watched friends, families, and strangers wash each other's feet and watched as expressions on faces changed when they sat in the chair to have their feet washed.  I saw sweet kindness as, one after another, the Body of Christ knelt to wash the feet of another.  Later, I watched as my family went forward to be united in the Eucharist - receiving the very Body and Blood of Christ.  It is hard to really describe to someone who hasn't experienced it, but I know that I see Christ reflected on the faces of the people.  In fact, the Church encourages me to look for Him on every face - as Mother Teresa saw Him in "distressing disguise".