Scripture Readings: Deuteronomy 8.2-3,14-16; 1 Corinthians 10.16-17; John 6.51-59
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” – John 6.51
In the old Anglican marriage vows, the man places a ring on the woman’s finger and says, “With this ring I thee wed. With my body I thee worship. With all my worldly goods I thee endow.” Body in this marriage vow means the whole person—body, mind, spirit. The husband promises to give his whole self to his wife in love, reverence, and awe.
Jesus chose eating and drinking as signs through which we can identify with him and his whole-hearted giving of himself in love. To eat this bread and make it part of us is to make faith in Jesus our sustenance. The bread and wine become part of us and nourish our self-giving. Taking part in Eucharist expresses our faith in Jesus and calls us to transform our lives.
Eucharist is a performative sign, a commitment we put into action and live out. The blessed and broken bread becomes a sign of Jesus’ total act of self-giving on the cross. In sharing a cup of wine we pledge to our lives in love for others just as Jesus poured out his life even unto death for us.
To share the Body of Christ in this sacrament is to commit to give one’s self for the life of the world as Jesus did. We receive the Body of Christ to become the Body of Christ in our world.
How has participating in Eucharist nourished and transformed you?
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