It’s funny because when I retired I thought I would be able to avoid some of these rather uncomfortable readings. Including the weeks of all the bread gospels. But God in his sense of humor has placed in my lap this passage of Jesus eloquently saying to the people “eat me” for I am the bread of life.
Of course the thought that comes to mind, I am sure you have heard this said before, maybe too many times, is the old cliche “you are what you eat.”
Since this is not a conversation on cannibalism, how do we eat Jesus and become like him? And what was he thinking making such an obscene declaration?
I actually grew to love this passage as I considered what Jesus was asking of us. I am rereading a book by one of my favorite authors, Brian McLaren, “Finding our way again.” It’s about ancient spiritual practices. He begins the book with a story that I have often retold.
At a conference of pastors, McLaren is tasked with the opportunity of interviewing Dr. Peter Senge, well known for his work in systems thinking. McLaren begins by asking what Senge would like to say to that group of five hundred Christian Ministers.
Senge begins with telling how he had asked a bookstore manager what the most popular books were. First was how to get rich in the new information economy. (BTW McLaren’s book was written in 2008). And second were books on spirituality, particularly Buddhism. He then asks the pastors why this might be. Senge’s reasoning has never left me.
Senge said “I think it’s because Buddhism presents itself as a way of life, and Christianity presents itself as a system of belief.”
We are good at studying the words that have been attributed to Jesus via the gospels. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. We build creeds around the gospel stories. We create liturgies. It is all good stuff for the head to ponder. But Jesus doesn’t say think about me, Jesus says consume me…everything that I am.
Take all of me! All that I am. Not just the words. Why? Because words change meanings throughout centuries and cultures. Their connotations evolve with societies. Words are often misunderstood or repeated and remembered incorrectly. Words can only be the beginning of our journey with Jesus.
Jesus tells us he is “the way, the truth, the life.” Consume, make who he is, his life, his way of being a part of your life, your heartbeat, your digestive system.
McLaren writes, :Jesus didn’t merely describe this way or path, nor did he merely point to it, nor did he reduce it to a list of rules; he actually embodied it: I am the path, he said.” Don’t just talk about the path, embody it!
Consume everything about Jesus and become the way/the path for another. Yes, you become the way to another. Does that sound sacrilegious? Think about this: you have the very same Spirit Jesus had. The very same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is within you. Jesus is telling us, no, showing us how to bring that spirit alive. How to feed that spirit. How to exercise that spirit. How to manifest that Spirit for another to see.
How do we eat Jesus? How do we consume all that he is? One way is here at the communion table. We take, in that little piece of bread or wafer, all that Jesus embodied and we consume it. His love, his grace, his peace. It becomes part of us. If our spirits are open to receiving it as such.
We do this as a continuous reminder that we not only want to know about Jesus but we want Jesus to become part of who we are. We want to become what it is we eat. We want our spirit to be nourished by His Spirit.
Another way of consuming or receiving Jesus (I'm not talking about coming to the altar and praying the salvation prayer). Is to open your spirit to be united with his in an intentional manner.
There are several spiritual practices that help us do this on a daily basis, in our own living room, at our own kitchen table etc.
Centering Prayer is my favorite. It is the practice of going into your private room, prayer closet, inner space to be open to God. In that time you put away all words and just be present with the one who created you and woos you.
Jesus often went away for one on one time with God. It is a beautiful way of what some refer to as “oneing” with God, with Jesus, with the Spirit. Jesus prayed we too would become one with God just as he is one with God.
Centering Prayer feeds and forms my spirit.
Christianity is too often just learning about Jesus and memorizing his words. (Again, a necessary first step for sure.) But that can be like buying a brand new car, leaving it at the dealership and taking home the manual to read and perhaps memorize. Then once a week going back to the dealership to be reminded what the car is like, touch it,get in it and breathe that new car smell, rev up the engine a bit. But never taking it home and making it a part of everyday life. Never driving it around the neighborhood, to work, or on vacation.
Jesus declares: consumer me. Take all of who I am. Unite with the Spirit within me. It is only from that place that the words, the miracles, the death on the cross makes sense. It is from that place that Paul tells the Corinthians: “you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
It is from that place that Christianity becomes the Way of Following Jesus, the Way of being Jesus to others, the way of a life that is eternal.
Join me in a moment of silence as we let the Spirit of God become one with ours.
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