Take This and Eat It

"Take and Eat; this is My Body", (Matthew 26:26)
"...whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." (John 6:51)

Genesis 3: 1 - 5 reads;

            Now the snake was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He asked the woman, "Did God really say, 'You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden'?" The woman answered the snake; "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree there in the middle of the garden that God said, "You shall not eat it or even touch it, or else you will die.' But the snake said to the woman, "You certainly will not die! God knows well that when you eat of it you will be like the gods, who know good and evil." 

            11- 12 ".....(God asked Adam) Have you eaten from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat? The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me -- she gave me the fruit from the tree, so I ate it"

I once noticed a parish priest, while praying the institution narrative (aka the "words of consecration"), in the Anamnesis (great prayer of remembrance) emphasize the THIS when speaking Jesus' instruction to,"Take this and eat it." This profound emphasis taught me that these words (and food they transubstantiate) of Truth and Life perpetually undo the lie that led Eve and Adam to death of body and soul.

Eve reasoned "that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it." (Gen. 3:6). She did not believe trust that eating the forbidden fruit would kill her. She did not understand that her disobedience would darken her search for a way back to God, make her children heirs to confusion and bring death into the world.  

Do we believe with trust that the perpetual Holy Sacrifice and its fruit; the taken and consumed Eucharistic food; illuminates the Way, generates the Truth and brings the world back to Life?

Hide and Seek in the Garden (Re-post)

John 20: 14 - 16 .... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,^[a] “Rabbouni!” (which means Master). 


Above is the Biblical scene I meditate upon most while praying the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, The Resurrection. I favor this conversation between Mary Magdalene and our Risen Lord, because it illustrates how powerful the sound of one's name is when called by Jesus.

In the preceding verses we learn that M. Magdalene has already announced to Peter and John that the Body was missing. Not finding Jesus in the tomb, both Apostles return home to their hideouts. M. Magdalene, however, will not leave. She shall continue looking for Her Lord, seeking Him in the garden where she had left Him three days before.

M. Magdalene is distraught with the idea that someone could have carried Jesus' Body away and nothing will break her grief-filled preoccupation with finding her beloved Jesus. Jesus, Himself, compassionately approaches M. Magdalene and inquires why she is crying and for whom she is looking. Empathy & consolation is not what she seeks and therefore does not rest in her search to listen.

Though M. Magdalene addresses Jesus, she does not see Him for who He is...The Resurrection! She speaks with Jesus, yet does not hear His Voice. Once His humanity veiled His divinity from so many strangers. Now, His glory veils His humanity even from the closest of friends.
"Mary." 
Jesus names His creation! Suddenly, in that instant His creation knows Him! Only now, by the familiar call of her name is  Mary aware of Jesus. When Jesus pronounces, "Mary", the Word communicates the fullness of their relationship.  He is recognized and they are reunited! Only Jesus: Her Lord, could speak her name in a divine tone.....the sweet sound of God calling to attention and in His direction one of His own.

Jesus doesn't want to offer comfort, aid, and charity to His Mary Magdalene. His intention is to reveal Himself to one who seeks Him. Beginning here, here in a garden....in a garden, just where Adam played the first game of hide and seek with God...Jesus begins the " finding game" ANEW!


More on Adam, The New Gardener and the Garden of Eden another time........:)