The tiniest infant experiences hunger and thirst. He or she learns if they cry loud enough, mom will satisfy those needs. As we grow older, we are able to ask for food and drink when we are hungry or thirsty and even express our preferences. Growing older still, we begin to have physical and emotional cravings beyond our basic needs. All the while, there is an underlying craving for a spiritual connection, but it is often overshadowed by the literal world around us. Jesus had much to say about that spiritual need, but the crowd kept taking His teachings literally with disastrous (for them) results.
“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” (John 6:35) That is a very tempting offer, especially for those who took Jesus’ teaching literally. Jesus knew that most of the large crowd that followed Him did so for the physical bread He provided occasionally or for the entertainment and thrill of seeing the miracles of healing He performed. Just as Nicodemus had taken being reborn literally, they failed to understand the spiritual meaning of his teaching. So, He decided to thin the herd by getting even more graphic. ”I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.” (John 6:53-55) Most of them walked away nauseous and shaking their heads.
At what we call “The Last Supper”, Jesus explained the spiritual meaning of that teaching. “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples saying, ‘Take it, for this is my body.’ And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and they all drank from it. And he said to them, ‘This is my blood, which confirms the new covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.’” (Mark 14:22-23)
Communion is a wonderful time of self-reflection and remembrance. But we should be reminded of Jesus’ sacrifice for us every time we take a bite of food or sip of our drink. My prayer is that we will always hunger and thirst after God and His righteousness instead of earthly satisfaction – that our cravings will become heavenly and no longer worldly.