John 6:50 But the bread that comes down from heaven is such that a person may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that has come down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Furthermore, the bread that I will give is my own flesh; and I will give it for the life of the world.”
52 At this, the Judeans disputed with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Then Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life — that is, I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live through the Father, so also whoever eats me will live through me. 58 So this is the bread that has come down from heaven — it is not like the bread the fathers ate; they’re dead, but whoever eats this bread will live forever!”[Complete Jewish Bible]
We all know that food is the fuel that keeps our bodies functioning. When we feed our bodies good food, we can feel the positive results. But it's so easy to be tempted to fill ourselves with empty calories instead of nutrition, which can't sustain us for long. In our gospel, Jesus reminds us that when we fill ourselves with his body and his blood, we are going to be nourished in a way that sustains us for the journey, not just through our mortal days, but until we are fully united with God for all time. We will be tempted along the way to fill ourselves with spiritual "junk food," but Jesus knows that isn't going to be enough. Only when we live our lives in Christ will we receive "true food and true drink"—the kind that gives us what we really need to face all that is to come.Nurturing God, you give us everything we need to sustain us through the ups and downs of life. We pray that we can be emptied of sin and selfishness, so that we might be filled to overflowing with the love, grace and truth of your Son. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Sarah Sumner-Eisenbraun
Associate and Campus Pastor, Salem Lutheran Church and School, Glendale, Calif.
Master of Divinity , 2007
John 6:50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
51 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."
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day;
55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.
57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."[New Revised Standard Version]
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