Eucharistic Meditation

“Then He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be give her to eat.” (Mk. 5:41-43)

This is a resurrection meal. This meal is part of what the writer of Hebrews describes as tasting of “the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:5) In this meal, we are invited into the resurrection of the dead, into the life everlasting. And this is fitting. Paul says in Romans “that as many of us that have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death… We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:3-4) And Jesus raises us up hungry. Like the little girl whom Jesus raised in our passage, Jesus says that something should be given to us to eat. And thus you are here. One thing we know about heaven, about the world of the resurrection, about the New Heavens and New Earth in their fullness is that we will eat. Jesus ate after his resurrection, he has food given to this little girl upon her resurrection, the glories of the New Jerusalem are described as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and of course we have this meal here, the Eucharist, a feast which we confess is occurring in heaven with all the saints before the throne of God. So come. Believe that you have been raised, because you have. And fear nothing, for though you face the mysteries and pains of life, you are already claimed by the Resurrection. Because you are in Jesus and He is the Resurrection and the Life. You are in the Life, and therefore this food is for you. This is the Bread of Life.