Sunday Readings: Proverbs 9.1-6; Ephesians 5.15-20; John 6.51-58
”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).
John’s gospel uses signs to express who Jesus is. It strains to say Jesus’ love lasts, his presence continues in every Eucharist, which celebrates our faith relationship. In John the signs of bread and wine signify Jesus’ flesh and blood. By insisting believers must eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood, the gospel points to Jesus, who died on the cross (shed his blood) and established at the Last Supper that the unleavened bread of Passover points to himself. These signs are the signs that Jesus wholeheartedly poured out his life in love for us and promise of his resurrection. Flesh in this gospel stands for the whole human, not just our physical selves.
Blood points to the new covenant Jesus establishes with his death and resurrection. In Hebrew tradition the parties to the covenant swear on their lives to keep it. In Exodus Moses takes the blood of two oxen and sprinkles half the blood on the ark of the covenant and half on the people to establish the covenant bond. The people agree to keep the commandments, worship God alone, become the people of God. Every Eucharist celebrates Jesus’ gift of his love and calls us as a community of believers to be the Body of Christ the world to believe in the promise of Jesus’ resurrection for eternal life.
- How does celebrating Eucharist give you life?
- How does Eucharist draw you into community?