Who is the Word? What else is the Word? Now if one wishes to truly know the Word, one must fully digest the Word so that the Word will fully become a part of the very fabric of one's being and one may truly Love God. Obviously, Jesus did not start feeding Himself to His remaining disciples who were totally at a loss when Jesus presented this teaching. They did not expect Him to do so either.
So, it's not about eating Jesus. Then, there's that incident with the woman at the well in which Jesus speaks of Spiritual food. And there is the Hebraic mindset of studying Scripture and thinking of it in terms of eating and digesting food. This is descriptive language more than symbolic language. It's metaphoric in terms of its language but it is describing a real process. One studies something so in depth and puts it into effect to such a degree that it literally shapes one's being inide and out. The Eucharist is symbolic in that it reminds us that we are to place our entire being into our faith and it, in turn will be our truth source of life because of He who is present within us at even the most basic level of our existence. It all goes together.
In Christ,
Christopher
(Originally published 10/27/2005 in A CHRISTIAN VOICE)
