When you think about your body, do you contemplate matter or Spirit?
While reading through the book of John last night, I was struck by Jesus’ “Bread of Life” sermon.
In his talk, Jesus said, “I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.” NLT
A large percentage of Jesus’ followers deserted him after hearing this sermon because it repulsed them. And I suppose it would if you took Jesus’ words literally, from a physical point of view,–“Eat his flesh?” How gross and nonsensical! They thought.
But then I stopped and marveled in how vital it is to see things from Jesus’ point of view in order to understand his teachings.
Where mortals saw matter, Jesus saw Spirit.
When Jesus referred to “his flesh,” he didn’t mean muscles and skin. He meant Spirit, Truth. Jesus did not identify with being material, as possessing a physical body. He saw himself as the embodiment of spiritual truth and life.
To “eat his flesh,” meant to understand his spiritual individuality, to grasp who he was as a child of God and discover life in Spirit, not in matter.
Do you do the same? Do you see yourself spiritually too? Do you think of your “flesh” as fallible, disease-prone matter, or as living eternal spiritual truth that never experiences disease or death?
It’s a critical question to success in spiritual healing. To succeed, we must be in the habit of seeing ourselves as totally spiritual, as “flesh,” or identity made in God’s likeness, not as temporal “flesh” that needs to be doctored.
Hmmm…healthy food for thought…
“His true flesh and blood were his Life; and they truly eat his flesh and drink his blood, who partake of that divine Life.” Mary Baker Eddy
Wonderful Evan! Thank you so much for your sharing this inspiration with us!
That certainly makes sense, Evan, when one considers those during the Holocost who survived even though they shared their meager food with others so THEY would live, and the one who shared survived as well and often survived with fewer emotional scars. The survivors’ food was Jesus’ flesh- unselfishness, love, self sacifice etc. Much food for thought, you’re right!! (Again!)
Wonderfully explained. It’s so easy to take statements like this literally – but makes so much more sense when you’re able to understand the true meaning. Thanks!
Have always loved the term “solid Spirit.”