Read: John 6:38-51

I am the living bread that came down from heaven . . . And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. (v. 51)

“You are what you eat.” With this familiar quip, we recognize that what we eat is important. Without food, our bodies cannot continue to operate. The nourishment we receive from food literally renews us, allowing our bodies to function. We are dependent on food for life. In a curious way, our continued life requires the “sacrifice” of plants and animals. If not for the harvest of a tomato or a carrot or the death of a chicken, our life could not continue.

The Communion feast operates for us in similar ways. As we receive the body and blood of Jesus into our bodies, we receive the gift of Jesus’ life into our souls. This is an unfathomable mystery, but also a beautiful reality. Just as our bodies die without the renewal that comes from food, so also our souls are prone to death. We need the renewal that the resurrection provides. When we receive the body and blood of Jesus in Communion, we receive this renewal. By taking the resurrection into our bodies, we receive newness of life where before there was only death.

When we receive Communion, we receive the love of God in the form of bread and wine. Miraculously, this small meal infuses us with the life and love of God. It is our spiritual food. —Amy Curran

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for giving me spiritual food to eat.