SCRIPTURE: John 6:53
I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
STORY told by Carl Sagan:
A story making the rounds concerns a Biology I examination in which the students were asked: "Suppose you could take to Mars any of the laboratory equipment used in this course. How would you determine if there was life on Mars?" One student responded: "Ask the inhabitants. Even a negative answer would be significant." The student got an A.
OBSERVATION:
How does one determine life? What does it mean to live? What brings quality, definition, fulfillment, and/or purpose to life?
In the Gospel of John, Jesus shares that life … real life … is found only in a direct relationship with the Son of Man. Reading further in the text it is mentioned, “eternal life”. Therefore, can we conclude that life is meaningful and full only if it is eternal? Better still would to think that life through Jesus is a package deal – full here and eternal later.
The psychologists tell us that life has meaning only when it is lived for a purpose or cause greater than oneself. I believe that therein lays the meaning behind Jesus’ words. Oh, I have heard preachers share that what is meant in these words of Jesus that apart from Jesus there is no life and there is truth in that thinking, but at a deeper level is the giving of oneself to something greater. If we eat his flesh and drink his blood we a participating in the life of discipleship – a life lived for others and for Christ.
It is possible to try to bring about meaning and purpose by concentrating on oneself and what brings joy to that life, but eventually it will be found that is only shallow and soon fades away. Blood might flow through our veins, memories can be established, children could be produced, 70-years might be realized, friends accumulated, vacations taken and a stately funeral in our memory held … but life … well, that is a totally another matter. Existence yes, but life … probably not.
As one author stated sometime ago: “Just make sure that you live as long as your are alive.” He knew that to live requires a deeper commitment and a presence not generated from within, but from above.
PRAYER:
Help, O Lord, to go forth to live as one prepared and ready to die. Help us, O Lord, to live as along as we are alive. Help us, O Lord, to give ourselves to the greater cause of Christ and his kingdom. Help us, O Lord, to eat his flesh and to drink his blood. Amen
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