Windows On The Soul

In a recent letter, my sister wrote that we had "connected" like never before, during our family grief last year. That unusual expression seemed to tie in with some current readings and sermons about our relationship with Jesus. The Bible writers have certainly struggled to find the words to convey the meaning of this relationship. Jesus almost caused a riot saying that we had to "drink his blood" - very un-kosher ( Jn.6:53-61 ). I think western minds can be some-what mislead by the metaphors of being "born again " ( Jn.3:3-7 ) and being " filled with the Holy Spirit" ( Eph.3:19 , 5:18 ). Our image of birth is of being "separated" from the mother, of becoming an "individual", and "infilling" has connotations of something being poured from one container into another separate container. Even the western concept of marriage seems to have lost the spiritual aspect of " becoming one " ( Mt.19:5,6 ) . But to me,...

"In a time when blood transfusion was unknown, Jesus chose the perplexing figure of drinking His blood. Ever since, Christians have wrestled with the theology of the Eucharist. Who can describe the process by which Christ's body and blood become part of my own? We are brought near to Him; we participate in Him; He feeds us - any of these phrases only hint at the mystery. Jesus used the analogy of branches attached to a vine. The more contemporary metaphor of blood transfusion opens the way for me to grasp the intended meaning. The communion service reminds me that Christ is not dead and removed from me, but alive and present in me. Every cell in His Body (the Church) is linked, unified, and bathed by the nutrients of a common source - blood feeds life. The infusion of fresh blood also helps explain the process of cleansing. I focus on the toxins accumulating in scattered cells of my body and the happy relief that comes when blood washes away those poisons. And f...