We have been on the journey of new Exodus – at least
since the death and the resurrection of Christ, who died as our ultimate
Passover Lamb, and was raised as the firstfruits of the dead (1 Corinthians
15:20). We have been delivered from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13) into
the state of grace (Romans 6:14).
Yes, the state of grace. It is the state that
entitles you to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (CCC 1415). We
journey in the state of grace, upon being delivered into the freedom of the Law
of the old covenant (Romans 6:14), and this is how Christian life is to be
lived: journey of faith to stay with grace, keeping from falling into sin, all
the way to our destiny: the Kingdom of God, which is envisioned in Revelation
21-22.
From Christ’s death and resurrection on, we have
been on this journey in the state of grace, and we have been given the food for
this journey. And this food is the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the Corporis et Sanguinis Christi, with the
accidence (species) of unleavened bread and wine, upon the transubstantion of
bread and wine into the divine substance of the body and the blood of Christ,
by the power of the Holy Spirit, as willed by God. As Jesus said, this
spiritual food entitles us to eternal life (John 6:51, 53-54, 58), unlike the
Manna, which did not give eternal life (John 6:49, 58).
Though the Manna and Christ, who is the Living Bread
of Life, are sent from heaven by the Father, the former is not for eternal life
but the latter is. However, both are for Exodus journey. The former was the
journey from Egypt to the Promised Land of Milk and Honey, while the latter is
our new Exodus journey from the curse under the Law of the old covenant to the
eternal Kingdom of God with New Jerusalem as its capitol. The former began on
Passover, for which unblemished male lamb (Exodus 12:5) was slaughtered as
Paschal Sacrifice and its blood to shield from God’s wrath, the latter journey
has begun upon Christ’s Paschal Sacrifice (John 1:29; 19:31) and Resurrection,
which proves his passing over death.
God has said that we cannot live with the Manna
alone but also with whatever comes out of His mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3). No
wonder, the Manna alone was not the sustenance for eternity but it was for
temporal survival. So, what can come out of the mouth of God? His breath of
life, Nishmah (Genesis 2:7), which is
also understood as the Holy Spirit, as in the breath of risen Jesus in John
20:22. And, His Word, Dabah, spoken form of the Logos. And, Logs is God (John 1:1) and incarnated in the flesh of Jesus to
dwell among us (John 1:14) because the love of the Father for us (John 3:16).
In fact, Christ was not sent to us just to dwell among us but to be our Parakletos, being called to besides us (1
John 2:1), also in spirit, so another Parakletos
(John 14:16,26) has been sent to us by the Father in Christ’s name, so that
Christ’s companionship is perpetual until we reach the Kingdom, as he promised
(Matthew 28:20).
And what remains forever is not only him being Parakletos, in flesh, as well as, in
spirit, but also his Word (Matthew 24:35). Furthermore, he is always available
to be our food for the journey – to give us sustenance to eternity. For this
reason, Christ invites us to eat his flesh and drink his blood from his One
Body (John 6:51, 53-58). And, we eat the flesh of Christ’s body and drink his
blood not alone by in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, as the grace of the
Son, of the love of the Father (2 Corinthians 13:13). Thus, it is the
Communion, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, giving thanks, at this table
fellowship of the Lord, all the faithful in the state of grace partake (1
Corinthians10:16-17), in anamnesis of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19; 1
Corinthians 11:24).
This Exodus journey from the curse of the Law to the
Kingdom in the state of grace still faces challenges, just as the Exodus in the
wilderness of 40 years itself was filled with trials. But, it is to test our
faith (Deuteronomy 8:1-3). God wants us to be pure with stronger faith in Him.
And, when we mature completely in faith and pure, we are entering the Kingdom.
Yes, it is far greater than the Exodus in the Old Testament. So, to make sure
we can sustain ourselves on this new Exodus, God the Father has sent His Son to
be our food and drink on the journey. He also has sent the Holy Spirit not only
as another Parakletos to guide on the
journey but also that accidents of bread and wine can be transubstantiated into
Corporis et Sanguinis Christi, as we
need at the Eucharistic celebration during Mass.
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