We eat what!?
Pentecost 12, 2021 sermon delivered at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Louisville, KY Text: John 6:51-58 Jesus is scandalous. He riles people up with his teaching, points out where they think they follow the law but don’t, and holds them to the faith that they claim to have. But this time, in this morning’s reading, Jesus tops himself with an outrageous idea. He says that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood consume true food. Eating him gives us eternal life. The people who hear him say that are upset and call him on his words. What does he mean, exactly? The idea of eating Jesus’ body and drinking his blood is uncomfortable to hear and the image is distressing. Jesus’ followers and the early church theologians wrestled with that image, trying to reconcile it with the Son of God who brings salvation to the world. At face value, Jesus’ words are offensive and contradictory to who he is, and who we believe God to be. So what do we do with this image of cannibalism? How do we un