The Gospels record that on at least 60 occasions Jesus is called “teacher” and 16 times “rabbi.” This is somewhat surprising. Jesus was known as a carpenter, rather than as someone who devoted himself to a lifetime of scholarly studies. Yet, people sensed something different about the way he spoke, noting that he “taught with authority and not like the scribes” (Mk 1:22). When the scribes taught, they quoted one passage of Scripture or expert after another, but Jesus spoke on his behalf and gave examples from ordinary life to convey truth. Even more to the point, Jesus taught by using parables, images and other devices that invited people to think, rather than giving them pat answers. In the Gospel readings over the past several weeks, Jesus has been giving us a lot to think about when it comes to understanding how our participation in the Eucharist relates to how we live. We heard him refer to himself as the living bread that God sends from heaven for our nourishment. But he also says something quite remarkable and even sensational: “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Understandably, those who first heard these words likely found themselves repulsed by the idea of eating the flesh of Jesus. But in time the Christian community came to understand that Jesus is telling us that God has chosen our flesh-and-blood existence as human beings to be the means by which God gives us a share in the very life of God. Jesus, as one who shares our human nature, is able to physically touch others with his healing hand, convey his sorrow by shedding tears at the death of his friend Lazarus, take the hand of a little girl and raise her up, caress with a towel the feet of his disciples that he has washed, feed the hungry as he breaks bread in his hands. Through all these very human actions, actions done by one who lives a flesh-and-blood existence, Jesus is sharing the life of God. This is what it means for him to give his flesh for the life of the world. And, of course, the point is that we too should look at how we live our flesh-and-blood existence as the means by which we share God’s life with others. I think of a mother who gives birth to a child, parents who work to feed their families, the caregiver who brings healing and safety to the sick, artists who inspire with their God-given talents. Jesus ennobled our human existence by calling us to live our flesh-and-blood existence as God’s gift to others, for God has chosen us, in our fleshly existence, to be the means of sharing his divine life. Of course, the ultimate way God has done this is through Jesus, the total gift of his fleshly existence on the cross. The invitation to us is quite clear. Jesus wants us to take a serious look at how we live our lives, through our sweat and tears, our smiles and our affection, our offer of a hand up to the downtrodden and opening of doors to those who are excluded as moments of grace in which God shares his life through our own. Jesus teaches in a way that makes us think. And in these summer readings from the Gospel of John, he prompts us to reflect on our participation in the Eucharist as an invitation to reimagine how we view our human existence. Rather than giving into the temptation in this age of materialism to organize our lives around the pursuit of ephemeral comforts and pleasures, Jesus invites us not to shy away from but value the daily opportunities to give of ourselves for the good of others, and indeed the world. He offers this invitation as we celebrate the Eucharist when he says, “This is my body, given up for you. Do this in memory of me.”