This is My Body

John 6:56-69

Context
This is the end of a long discourse by Jesus on "eating my flesh and drinking my blood". The idea is naturally repugnant to the audience - in addition to the obvious taboos surrounding cannibalism, having any blood whatever is against the Jewish law.
"Manna" is the mysterious substance that the Jews lived on while wandering in the wilderness after escaping Egypt.
Capernaum, on the sea of Galilee, was Simon Peter's home town and perhaps Jesus' "home base" for his ministry.

Listening to the writer
There is much in this passage - I'll focus on the beginning and end.
The first verses refer to communion - and probably to more than communion, or to communion as more than a simple meal. What do you think John means by eating Jesus' flesh or abiding in him?
The disciples struggle with this saying, and the early church struggled with many of Jesus' teachings. Those who listen struggle still. Why does Peter decide to stay?

Listening to God
What part does communion play in your life with God? I have some friends who find it pointless, and others who can't imagine going without it on a regular basis. Historically, it was a central part of early Christian worship, and has been an assumed part of every worship service throughout most of the Church in most times and places. Spend some time in meditation and prayer reflecting on what communion means for you, and whether God is calling you to dig deeper.
Most Christians I know do not struggle with Jesus' sayings at all. Peter's experience - of wondering what in the world Jesus meant, yet feeling that he had the key to life - is not often repeated today. We have tamed Jesus quite a bit. Take one of Jesus' sayings that you don't like, or that you disagree with, and meditate on it with God.* Is God asking you to finally start following? To disregard it? To reinterpret it?

Miscellaneous Meanderings
I grew up in a church that had communion once a month, on Sunday evenings. We didn't hold it on Sunday mornings because there might have been a lot of non-believers there, and communion was only for people that really knew what it meant. It was a time to meditate on Jesus' pain and death, to be very sad, to repent in tears and recommit ourselves to Christ.
It was powerful, in a way, but definitely not a highlight of my walk with God.
In seminary, a bizarre thing happened - we had communion EVERY WEEK. I had never heard of such a thing, except for Catholics. (Protestants like me tend to forget that the majority of the Church has always been Catholic.) And I learned that it could be wonderful. Jesus said "remember me." He didn't say "wear a sad face when you remember me," or "remember my pain," or "feel horrible." He said "remember me." When I remember other people who have died, I occasionally remember their pain. If I was involved in their death (which does happen as a pastor) I once in a while recall feelings of guilt associated with it. But the vast majority of the time, I remember the thoughts and feelings that went along with the person. Remembering my mother, or close friends, brings joy and sweet sorrow - a longing for reconnection.
Communion is now a central part of my worship. I miss it when it's not there.

* Can't think of any? My guess is that you don't like the straightforward meaning of at least one of the following:
http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Mark+10:17-23&version=nrsv
http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Matthew+5:17-19&version=nrsv
http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Matthew+6:15&version=nrsv
http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Matthew+7:13-14&version=nrsv
http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Luke+14:25-27&version=nrsv
If you like all of those, send me an email and we'll find you one :-).
I would never council anyone to disregard one of Jesus' sayings; but one might conclude, after a lot of soul searching and study, that something recorded in one of the Gospels wasn't said by Jesus. I don't recommend taking that step lightly, but better to be honest with yourself than to take a statement you can't swallow and interpret it away.


Dig Deeper at Textweek.