In the readings of the last few weeks, John has been gradually building his story of what it means for Jesus to be the source of eternal life and how this is linked with his feeding us. Jesus has already told his listeners that the food that he provides comes from heaven and is better than the manna provided to their ancestors. Now he spells out what this food actually is – it is himself, his flesh and blood (Jn 6:51-58). This is completely ridiculous and impossible. His audience might have had difficulty accepting his authority as a privileged messenger from God, but this is beyond anything like that, beyond comprehension – literally! What can it possibly mean? Not unreasonably, the Jews asked “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
At this point in the life and mission of Jesus it means nothing – how could it? Only after the Last Supper when he actually provides the disciples with his flesh and blood, and tells them they can continue to do this, can any of this make sense. And we know that it was only after the Resurrection that the disciples actually put all this together with their awareness that Jesus was still active and present with them. Then eating his flesh could make sense, then they could understand how this most basic of connections, through the simple act of eating, could allow them to live forever.
We know that John is not giving us his edition of the daily diaries of Jesus’ life. He not providing a transcription of what Jesus said at that point to people on the shores of Lake Galilee. He was laying down the centrality of the Eucharist for the Christian believers of his time, and thus also for us. Then these words could make sense: 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.
John started this story telling us how belief was the foundation that would change us. Many people can understand and accept that belief is central to who we are – what we believe, translated into how we act, makes us what we are. But John doesn’t stop there. Belief alone is not going to carry us through, we are too weak for that, we actually have to feed on Jesus. We have to make that effort to come to the table and there be fed.
Even the Jews in the time before Jesus knew they had to turn to God for food, as the Book of Proverbs tells us (Prv 9:1-6). But now John is telling us this is more than a metaphor, this is an actual meal, with actual food. That meal has been served up in Christian communities under all conceivable circumstances for the last 2000 years. We would be foolish indeed if we ignored it, or didn’t have the time or energy to participate. As Wisdom says: “Let whoever is simple turn in here [don’t make this complicated]; to the one who lacks understanding [don’t worry if you can’t make sense of it], she says, [just] come, eat of my food”.
Come and eat, and live forever.