Whatever does Jesus Mean, ‘Eat my flesh?’

Jesus said, "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. . . .Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.” (John 6:51-58)

What are we hearing in the Gospel of John, whatever was Jesus trying to communicate with these words?  Many of us in liturgical churches believe that this is a reference to the importance of the Eucharist in our lives and worship and the joining together with Christ and one another.  I certainly believe this is true but somehow I feel that Jesus was communicating more than just this.  Thanks to my friend, the Rev. Evan Garner, Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Decatur for providing “food for thought.”

So, what does it mean to eat food?  According to Evan Garner, “food is substantive, it nourishes us, it delights us, and it unites us every single day.  If this is what normal food, normal bread, does then perhaps Jesus is suggesting that eating him (figuratively or metaphorically of course) has the same effect.  That “eating Jesus” sustains us, nourishes us, delights us and unites us every single day.

If this is the case, then the sustenance, nourishment, delight and unity that comes to us from this “eating” will give us the strength and energy to proclaim the kingdom of God which Jesus proclaimed and share this nourishment with those around us just as Jesus shared that same nourishment with us.  Two examples might help put flesh on these bones.

Last Saturday, August 15 was the 50^th anniversary celebration of Jonathan Daniels and the Martyrs of Alabama.  Jonathan Daniels, a 26 year old, white Episcopal Seminarian, was gunned down in Hayneville, Alabama after having been arrested for helping African Americans register to vote.  After a week in jail, Daniels, Roman Catholic Priest Richard Morrisroe and two black teenagers, Ruby Sales and Joyce Bailey, were released. As they entered Varners Cash Store for a soft drink, a shotgun wielding volunteer deputy sheriff shot at them, killing Daniels as he stepped in front of Ruby Sales, saving her life.

The Pilgrimage began on Friday evening with a talk at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Montgomery by Morris Dees, Jr, of the Southern Poverty Law Center.The Southern Poverty Law Center works for the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity are a reality.  On Saturday morning, young Episcopalians and young people from Lowndes County gathered for breakfast with the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop Elect of the Episcopal Church.

                                                    

In memory of all of those who worked for justice, freedom and peace in the Civil Rights struggle, especially Daniels and the others who lost their lives, the participants walked from the square to the jail to the site of Varner’s Cash Store, where a historical marker was dedicated.  The procession then filed to the Lowndes County Court Room where Daniels’ Killer was tried and acquitted by an all white jury of men. A role of Civil Rights Martyrs was read. Holy Communion was celebrated from the Judges Bench turned Altar.

A few days before the Pilgrimage, the Board of the Episcopal Church Women of Alabama worshiped at Christ Church in Fairfield. Fairfield is an old steel mill town which has fallen on hard times since the closing down of the steel industry in the United States. (The following week, U.S. Steel announced the closing of the last mill in the area.) The purpose of the visit was to present a check from the National Episcopal Church Women for the building of a commercial grade kitchen in the old church building.  The importance of this kitchen to this Community is invaluable. During July and August  the women of Christ Church fed all reduced lunch school children five days a week Their goal for the new kitchen is to be able to feed all the community once a month, and open a food pantry. Currently they are feeding their parish members once a month.

The congregation is made up of “all sorts and conditions of people,” old and young, black and white, and mostly poor.  When the Presentation of a check for $36,400 dollars was made to pay for the new kitchen, you could have heard a pin drop in the otherwise lively worship service.  And then, all received Holy Communion, sustained, nourished, delighted and united by God so that they might sustain, nourish, delight an unite others.

As Jesus said, “my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed.  Yes, Holy Eucharist, but much, much more.  We, Gods people, like Jesus, have become food so that we might sustain, nourish, delight and unite God’s people every single day.