Body and Blood of Christ

The Body and Blood of Christ
May 29, 2005

"... not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Deuteronomy 8: 2-3, 14-16) "The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 10: 16-17) "Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven." (John 6:51-58)

Yahweh provides food for his people in the desert and Moses reminds them that their souls need nourishment also from the divine word. St. Paul tells the Corinthians that their Eucharistic meal unites them in the sufferings and glory of Christ. Jesus instructs his disciples about what it means to feed on him.

The Eucharistic bread and wine has been our spiritual sustenance, the sacramental presence of the living God among us, ever since Christ sent the Holy Spirit. Ironically it has also been a source of contention and disunity among Christians who have argued about its nature and importance in the life of the community of faith. Apparently we have not read these passages with much understanding. We Catholics are reminded by the Vatican II fathers that the word of God is as rich a spiritual food as the bread and wine of the sacrament.

Six months ago, as I reported to you previously, at the recommendation of my doctor, but sooner than I would have wanted, I had a small plastic tube inserted in my stomach through which liquid nourishment can be delivered directly when I am no longer able to swallow. A standard procedure for people with ALS. I have compared it to an umbilical cord for adults. Between this and my new fancy respirator, I will be as nearly completely hooked up as when I was a child in my mother's womb. There is a metaphor for the Eucharist here somewhere. As my son said so wisely sometime ago, "we all have our cosmic spacesuits connected for whatever time we have given to us." Aren't we all on life support directly from God through Word and Sacrament? None of us utters a word, has a thought or takes a breath without divine life in and around us. We Catholics call this "the sacrament", but by whatever name, it is the reality of divine life in, through and among us.

The people of God, the word of God and the Eucharist are the life of the Spirit. The very same people who care for me so tenderly will eventually feed me through this tube. They are the living Word and Sacrament, nourishing body and soul. The very heart of our faith is here. We are the sacrament, made possible by the death and resurrection of the son of God. This is the blessing of divine life streaming to us through food, speech and each other.