We are what we eat

My goodness what a challenging reading!
Eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus!
No wonder early Christians were condemned as cannibals!
When I first heard this reading – or paid attention to it to be more honest – as a 9 year old I was deeply troubled. I remember hoping earnestly, and possibly praying, that if there were aliens tuning in to what was going on, that they would not invade our planet earth thinking that all Christians were cannibals, as we weren’t really eating flesh or drinking blood.

Well, aliens may not have invaded but we are still left with this challenging reading.
The flesh of Jesus. The Greek word used is sarx σάρξ. It is the same word used back in John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh.”
It doesn’t politely refer to the body of Christ – especially seeing that the body of Christ is us – the church. And today this part of the body of Christ is taking communion.
And how appropriate that we are hearing this reading as part of a communion service?

Jesus said “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.”

Well, actually no… It may help with our understanding of communion
but every other Gospel or scripture that speaks of blessing the bread and wine uses the word “body” not “flesh.” [σῶμα or soma] not sarx.
In indeed the Gospel of John doesn’t include the blessing of the bread and wine at all in its presentation of the Last Supper!
And here’s another thought about why this reading is not referring to communion…
When the Gospel says ““Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Is Jesus really saying that a person has to have communion before they are saved? That condemns all the Salvation Army Christians who do not celebrate communion!
And the Greek grammar here indicates a once off action, not a repeated ritual of many communion services.
And does it truly depend on a human action to enable our salvation?
I don’t think so!
My understanding of salvation is that it requires the essentials of repentance and faith not a sharing of flesh and blood!
So what is really going on here? Jesus is very deliberate in repeating that his flesh is the bread to be eaten and that his blood is to be consumed and that this is necessary for eternal life.
Was he just stirring up his Jewish listeners – who are forbidden to drink blood? I wouldn’t put it past Jesus to cause trouble, but he is deadly earnest in teaching this concept.
This is a very graphic way of instructing us to “take Christ into our innermost being.”
Martin Luther’s explanation of this is – that just as eating and drinking are necessary for survival, so following Jesus is necessary to live life fully and abundantly as God intends. (Luther)
And John Chrysostom adds that in accepting Jesus as the bread of life, we “become commingled with Him.” uniting ourselves to Christ’s presence, Christ’s body and Christ’s love.
When we truly live as Jesus lived,
eat together as Jesus ate with his followers,
radically love as Jesus radically loved all people of this world
and are willing to give of ourselves as Jesus gave of himself –
then Christ is truly present in our midst and we are participating in the body of Christ and acting as his body.
The sustenance we need to be the body of Christ is found in Christ alone. True food and drink for our deepest needs are found in Jesus. And in him we find abundant life.
Not a pain free life, not a perfect life, but a life that abides in Jesus, just as Jesus abides in us.
Arguably – we are what we eat – and if we accept Jesus as the bread of life and look to him on a daily basis, then, day by day, we become more like Jesus.

So how is Jesus present in our lives?
What does this abiding mean?
And this is where the Ephesians reading can help us…
If we abide in Christ we live as wise people who make the most of every opportunity, because our days are evil.
And many of us are still carrying fresh scars from the evils of this world, of death and disease.
We seek to understand what the Lord’s will is. This is discernment and comes through prayer and bible study.
We won’t get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, we will be filled with the Spirit, or filled in spirit. Too much wine is trouble – but there’s never too much of the Holy Spirit!
We will be speaking to one another with songs from the Spirit, singing and making music from our hearts to the Lord. Try making that song that gets stuck in your brain a song of praise. It lifts your spirit throughout the day – and encourages others when that praise spills out of you.
And always give thanks to God for everything. Sigh.
Living a life of gratitude is one thing.
Thanking God for every painful experience is another.
I prefer the Colossians 3:17 version of this.
In all things give thanks to God through Jesus.
This gratitude in the moment – not for the moment.
This week, this day, in this communion together, speak words of gratitude and do it all with a thankful heart.

And so we give thanks, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.