Christianity has tended to so mangle those words as to take away their power. Jesus message was one that said, if you follow and live as I have lived, and love as I have loved, you ll see the kingdom. The bread and the wine were symbols of partaking of his very life, in community, with others, and offering that gift to all. The bread and wine, ordinary things through which God will bless us, the body and blood of Christ, are vehicles to a greater grace and understanding, which says all of life is communion. Eucharist, thanksgiving, is something to be mindful of in all we touch, say, and do.
Communion is our life.
When the table is prepared for communion you see just a bit of water poured into the wine. In Inquirer s classes, in FYI, and often just in coffee hour, I am asked why. And you know, it is one of those liturgical mysteries. There are many reasons. The practical one I always remind people there usually is a practical reason is the wine was so thick in the early Church water was needed to make it drinkable.