For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed

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

In Saturday's reading, we read about the complaints in response to Jesus' statement that He is the bread of life. He's in the synagogue at Capernaum, and they say, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus responded: "Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. . . . Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 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?" It's a reasonable question - but one that has to be answered in the context of the Gospel, which the leadership haven't accepted in any form. Once again, we remember that the term "the Jews" in this Gospel almost always refers to the leadership and their followers in Jesus' time who actively opposed Him. My study bible says of this entire reading: "The eucharistic significance of this passage is indisputable. Jesus' declaration that He is Himself the living bread which brings us life is intended to reveal the eucharistic feast. His offering is not for His people only but for the life of the world."

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." We will see that even some of His disciples have trouble with these statements! But in the context of the Gospel message and His teaching, they tell us something of the power of His ministry, and all that He will do in His sacrifice. Again, it is linked to Judgment, and Christ's power of life and death which has been given by the Father.

"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." My study bible notes, "Christ's body was crucified and His blood shed on the Cross. We receive the benefits of Christ's sacrifice by coming to Him in faith, and by communion with Him: we eat His flesh and drink His blood. These words refer directly to the Eucharist, the mystery of Christ our life. . . . St. John Chrysostom teaches we must not understand the sacrament carnally, that is, according to the laws of physical nature, but spiritually, perceiving a true but mystical presence of Christ in the Eucharist." Of course we know that John's Gospel will continue to unfold these teachings, culminating in Jesus' discourse at the Last Supper. But we note especially the depth of relationship implied, and our complete dependence upon this life itself. He tells us literally in the Greek that His flesh is true food, His blood is true drink.

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 bread which came down from heaven is the life which He lived as human being, which He will sacrifice for all of us. That is, two natures united: one human, one divine. Therefore in the institution of Eucharist is a mystical reality, one in which we partake and in which we are filled with His life, upon which we are dependent, and through which we receive the gift of life He offers. My study bible also 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. . . There is no room left for doubt about the reality of His flesh and blood, because we have both the witness of His words and our own faith." It adds: "This reality, however, is a profound mystery of faith and grace."

My study bible notes that Orthodox theology teaches that in the Eucharist we partake not simply of the physical/material, but of the deified and glorified Body and Blood of Christ which give resurrection life. However we look at it, Christ's sacrifice provides us with the eternal life He shares with us. In this we take our sacrament. The Last Supper will be an institution of this Eucharist or "giving thanks." But Christ's sacrifice means so much more to us than even a mystical sacrament. Or rather, this sacrament contains so much more than we can know. Why the mystery of His death and crucifixion and also Resurrection? Why His terrible suffering? In Him, we have our life, and on Him we rely. If the world would hate His followers, He will teach, then we must know that the world hated Him first. The power of His life sustains us through all things. And there is the depth of faith to which His sacrifice can take us, into the very power of life itself, which really doesn't need the whole world's approval to build and support and create and live in His sacrifice for us. That is, our faith is in the gift of life itself, in the One who has in Himself the power of life and death. Whatever we experience in life cannot diminish this power. And that's what we put our faith in. That is His sacrifice and its meaning for us. In His flesh and blood, then, this mystery of His presence to us, we rely and take our sustenance. So as the Father gives Him life, so He gives us life. It is one in one, and all in all. The power in His sacrifice continues to build and grow and sustain. How does it call you forward out of your own experience and suffering? What does it help to build and create in you? How does His life call you ahead?