“Holy cannibalism?”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Friday, March 24, 2023

John 6:52-59 (Forward, p. 54) CEV p. 1109

No wonder Jesus’ original audience had some grave issues with what Jesus said. No wonder they asked, “How can he give us his flesh to eat?” (verse 52). To them, it sounded like cannibalism, something that was not only distasteful to them as a culture and a religion, but also rather abhorrent and indeed forbidden. That misunderstanding stemmed from their taking Jesus’ words too literally.

And no wonder outsiders in the ancient world, particularly those from a Greek or Roman background, accused the early Christians of eating babies, of gross cannibalism, as part of their Eucharists. Again, this misconception arose from taking Jesus’ words in the Eucharist, ‘this is my body’, ‘this is my blood’, too literally.

It is a charge, a misconception, that could also arise from the Roman Catholic doctrine, its belief in transubstantiation, the literal change of the substances of bread and wine into the actual, physical body and blood of Christ. In other words, it may ‘seem’ as if one is still partaking of bread and wine but it is really Jesus!

In contrast to this, the Anglican Church, in its 39 Articles, has always insisted that ‘the Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Bod of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith” (Article XXVIII, “Of the Lord’s Supper”). And, as this article, and its following one, both point out the means of receiving is by faith. In other words, it is not automatic. Indeed, in the parallel passage (verse 40), Jesus alleges that what is necessary is looking to Him and believing in Him—that is, having faith in Him and trusting Him with our lives.

But the mere mention of blood would have evoked in Jesus’ Jewish listeners a whole wack of other associations, namely the meaning of blood in terms of the required daily and annual sacrifices in the Temple, and also the meaning of blood in terms of a violent death. And so, Jesus was calling up both images: the idea that He might be that sacrificial victim that takes away the sin of the world, and that He Himself might meet a violent death in order to accomplish this. Indeed, are not both ideas incredibly and unalterably, imbedded within the whole meaning and action of the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist. And so, while His audience could understand this in its fulness at that particular time, He was, in effect, ‘paving the way’ for a later comprehension of what He was getting at.

So, what is essential, regardless of one’s ‘take’ on the Eucharist, is that we must ‘come’ to Jesus, submit to Him, allow ourselves to trust in Him and depend upon Him, and then obey Him. Precisely how He ‘affects’ this in our lives is, and will continue, to be a matter of debate. All we need to know is that He promises it, if indeed we will place our trust and faith in Him. Amen.

Forward notes: “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (verse 45).

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some variation of the sentiment, ‘Hey, Rob. You are closer to God than I am. Would you put in a good word for me?’ Over the years, many parishioners have asked me to pray for them, suggesting they think I am closer to God than they are. I suppose on some days I feel close to God, at least closer to God than I do on other days. Isn’t it wonderful to feel the lubrication of grace when it appears so tangible?

“Often, though, any sense of grace is elusive, like a ghost at the periphery. I turn to look, and it disappears. Unbeknownst to me, at those times when grace feels elusive, God is the closest.

I am always happy to pray and intercede for another person, to reach out for the hem of the garment, so to speak, but the raw truth is that each of us is not only close to God but also indwelled by God. You don’t need a priestly collar or seminary degree to be close to God, just an open and willing heart.”

Moving Forward: “Who can you pray for today?”