For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven -- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

- John 6:52-59

Over the course of the past several readings, Jesus has been giving His discourse on "the Bread of Life." This part of the Gospel of John began with the sign of the feeding of five thousand men on the mountain top. The crowd wanted to make Him king, but He eluded them and went alone to the mountaintop as it grew dark. His disciples got into a boat to cross the Sea to Capernaum. They were followed by the crowd in many small boats. As they rowed, the wind blew fiercely and the sea was so rough they feared they would drown. Jesus appeared to them, walking on the water, saying, "It is I; do not be afraid." When the crowd saw Jesus in Capernaum, they wondered how He got there. He told them they sought to make Him king not because they saw a sign, but because they were filled. He taught them labor not for the food which perishes but for the bread that leads to eternal life. Jesus said, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." He also taught them, "The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" and "I am the bread of life." In yesterday's reading, He continued this teaching; He said, "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me." Those who are gathered to Him will live in Him. "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" John's Gospel will continually teach this way: people ask the obvious questions based on the surface or "worldly" meaning of the words Jesus uses to teach. Jesus then teaches, going beyond a worldly understanding. "The Jews" usually refer to the religious leadership in John's Gospel. Everyone in this story, including all of His disciples, are also Jews. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Jesus moves from teaching about the "work" of faith (see the past several readings, especially this one) to the depth of relationship in faith, to communion. It is this communion, in which He abides in us and we in Him, in which we are "raised up" and have eternal life. These words give us the Eucharistic significance of true communion, and imply the power in His sacrifice, made "for the life of the world."

"For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." The power of the Eucharist is present in the words and teachings of Christ. My study bible cites St. John Chrysostom who taught that we must not understand these words (and the sacrament) carnally; that is, according to the laws of physical nature, but spiritually. It quotes St. Hilary of Poitiers: "What we say concerning the reality of Christ's nature within us would be foolish and impious were we not taught by His very words." My study bible adds, "This reality, however, is a profound mystery of faith and grace." However we may read these words, the implication of the most profound relationship is unmistakable: Christ becomes a part of us, and we become a part of Him.

"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me." Our relationship to Him is to be as that of His to the Father, from whom all life proceeds and begins and is, and who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

"This is the bread which came down from heaven -- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. The spirit of Communion runs deeper than anything that we can know. The mystery of faith and of the Eucharist, of His sacrifice ("My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world") is intermingled within us, and becomes a part of our lives. Thus faith, sacrifice, Eucharist -- abiding in Father and Son as they abide in us -- all become a part of this "work" that is the work of faith in us, the "work" of eternal life and the mystery that works in us by this gift of love.

Jesus' Eucharistic presence in these words teaches us more than we know and understand. But the words are there for us -- to think about, to ponder, and to accept, even in their mystery. What we can understand is the power of life and love in these words: the sacrifice made for the life of the world, the power that draws us to Him which is in both Father and Son, the depth of union and communion with Him that leads to eternal life. Ultimately, faith is a relationship of a depth that is the deepest mystery to us; it is a union of love, so deep that we are a part of it and He is a part of us. We remember Jesus' parables about the kingdom of heaven. It is like leaven mixed in with the measures of meal that changes the whole. This dynamic force will change us, live in us. It is like a tiny seed sown in us that may grow into a great and sturdy bush, or one that -- if given good ground and nurturing -- may produce great fruit. It is that which may make us the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. Let us remember the power of the work of faith, the flesh and blood of Eucharist and sacrament, and most importantly His teaching of love and this great, profound, endlessly mysterious relationship: He abides in us and we in Him. There are endless, infinite ways that life and that relationship can be at work in us, in our lives. They begin with the "work" of faith, they lead to the "flesh and blood" given to become a part of us. How deeply can this go in your life? What do you need to heal? Can we abide in Him? The very "life" He offers is unlimited, and its mystery may grow endlessly, exponentially in us, even as we may not understand the workings of grace -- but we will know its fruits. In Jesus' promise to us here in John's Gospel, there is always more to come, a deeper abiding, life forever. It is the "living" bread, a promise of eternal presence, here and now, at work with us in our faith.