There is a core truth to Christianity that is pendant on eternal life.
At a point in human history God became human, died on a cross, redeemed all who sought redemption from sin, and provided a life after death with Him in heaven. God's act of becoming human changes everything for us. By becoming human, God made possible a personal relationship with Him. Jesus Christ by his life, death, and resurrection provided spiritual sustenance to humankind bereft otherwise of what our spiritual side requires, hope.
Try living as I have done without hope. I have arrived at wanting something more than mortal life can provide. One can persist in living out his or her days believing that this material life is all. Or one can examine the promise of life eternal which God offers one when he or she should be ready (if ever).
The basic symbolism Jesus Christ chose to sustain us in faith in him was that of bread, ordinary bread. However, mere symbolism would be empty of spiritual gain. This is about feeding our spiritual selves. He who wants to share in God's promise of life eternal must eat his body and drink his blood. Through the words of institution, He provided us with consecrated bread and wine. He or she who takes the bread and wine accepts the gift of this God of Mercy, Himself, into his life. We communicants partake of the very feast of heaven that one day will be awarded a human who dies in Christ.
In youth, I believed that the world into which we were born was world enough and time enough. Now as I grow world weary at the failures, individual and societal, I conclude this life is not enough and want for more than what my materialistic life provides. Critics of Christianity would say that in hoping for life eternal, believers are grasping at an illusion. And of course I have to say that as a believer in life eternal I am deluded if I do not make the Lord of Life my everyday reality by both confirming God is Love and trying to live my life as one whose life is in the Lord's.
Communion is the very spiritual meal many who die each day lack. I am saddened for those who live in despair having tired of this life. With communion, death has no victory and my own personal failure is not relevant except that it be to the greater honor and glory of the God of Love.
To my brothers and sisters, I encourage you in your faith in this God. I also accept that if life has not served you up an empty plate, you may as yet not be ready to accept the peculiar belief in the Risen Lord. Then that is what makes this a faith question: if there is life eternal it is in God's hands, not mine nor yours. It is yours to accept or reject his gift of life eternal.
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