6.15.20 - Real presence of Christ

Corpus Christi is celebration of the Last Supper but instead looking back at it after Pentecost, which is why it is a joyful celebration of the gift of the Lord’s eternal, Trinitairan Presence.

Q: We know that the Last Supper was the New Passover and the New Exodus. What are the connections?

A: Lamb, Blood, Manna

Q: What was the meaning of each?

A1: BLOOD First Passover: First, blood was considered “life.” They Israelites were not allowed to even taste the blood of animals because the animal’s life belonged to God. However, for the first Passover, the blood (signifying life) was put on their doorposts so that the Angel of Death would “pass over” them. Second, the ritual of sprinkling of the animal’s blood on the altar was considered a form of justification (removal of sins). Third, in biblical times blood was also important for agreements and covenants because it staked one’s life on the oath being taken.

Last Supper: The giving of Jesus’ blood was not only the justification for all humanity, but also a sharing of his “life” in the Trinity with us.

A2: LAMB: First Passover: the Lamb (had to be unblemished) was sacrificed for one’s sins. The burning of the animal was a kind of sanctification, with the aroma going up to God. Whereas burnt sacrifices to pagan gods was complete, God required his burnt offerings be eaten by the Jews because their redeemed state was a mystical, albeit temporary, reunion with Him; temporary because man was never completely freed from sin and continued to sin requiring daily sacrifices at the Temple.

Last Supper: Jesus gives his body (flesh) for the life of the world. He transforms the bread and wine into his glorified body and blood to share with us. That way, a) he can be present with everyone, everywhere to the end of time; and b) this level of presence and grace will help carry us to the finish line.

A3: MANNA: First Exodus: The Exodus from Egypt was not just a physical experience. It was also a faith journey, one that took 40 years. God used their need for nourishment to get their attention and combined it with a lesson on faith. So when the Israelites finally came to God for food, He provided them miraculous bread from heaven called manna. It was the beginning of learning the value of depending on God – faith. Once they learned that God was the source of everything, they became more open to his instructions, and to leaving the Egyptian way of life behind, including their pagan gods.

Last Supper: In John 6, Jesus says: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. Your fathers ate manna in the desert and died. If anyone eats of this bread shall live forever; for the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (body).

Jesus transforms the bread and wine into his glorified body and blood to share with us. That way, a) he can be present with everyone, everywhere, to the end of time; and b) this level of presence and grace will help carry us to the finish line.

Speaking to God in prayer would be compared to a telephone call; the Eucharist is an in-person visit.

First Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3

Overview: Deuteronomy means “copy of the law,” which is appropriate since it recaps the various laws already set forth and brings to a close to the first four books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It consists of three long addresses by Moses telling them how to succeed in the future with the Lord. Moses delivered these speeches to the Israelites before they entered Canaan, after which Moses died.

Remember how for these forty years the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the wilderness, so as to test you by affliction, to know what was in your heart: to keep his commandments, or not.

He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, that you might understand that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

Second Reading (Paul): 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Two themes here: "Participation means to actually take part it," and everything about the Trinity and what Jesus does is Unity.

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?

The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

Gospel Reading: John 6:51-58

Setting: Jesus was preaching in Capernaum just after feeding 5000 with a few loaves and fishes. It was also the Passover season.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father send me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Another way to think about it:

The air and water compounds say to the plant, if you eat me, I will become part of you, and we will grow together.

The plant says to the animals, if you eat me, I will become part of you, and we will grow together.

These are merely 6th day terms, foreshadowing the language of the Last Supper, our invitation into the 7th Day. The bread and wine is Jesus' life of the Trinity asking us the same question.

Much more! See you Monday night.

Ron