Read John 6:51-58 with your family.

Jesus talking about ‘drinking blood’ and ‘eating the body’ was beyond gross to those who would have heard these words in the first century, just as they are often heard as gross outside of church today. What did he mean? He didn’t mean his actual blood and body, did he?

Different parts of the Christian church have been discussing this language for almost 2000 years, and there is still no agreement.

However, what we do agree on is that Jesus was trying to tell us that believing in Jesus, following Jesus, doing the things Jesus taught us to do, behaving the way Jesus asked us to behave, all mean that Jesus is still part of our daily lives and changes the way we treat each other.

Every single person who lived in Jesus’ time had bread to eat. It might not have been fancy, but that was the main food item than everyone had. Jesus telling them his body was like ‘bread’, was one way of helping the people understand that Jesus and his teachings were as important in their lives as having that regular food to eat. However, Jesus was something they could have and it would keep their hearts and souls filled forever.

And, if they did follow the teachings of Jesus and start to treat everyone as someone who deserved love and acceptance, they would find their community changed for the better.