Page:Jesus of Nazareth the story of His life simply told (1917).djvu/255

 And they went back and walked no more with Him.

Let us stop a moment to ask what this wonderful Promise really meant, and why so precious a Gift was left us.

When our Divine Lord took a body and soul like ours and the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us, He did not mean this dwelling in our midst to be merely for the time of His mortal life, and for the few who were able to approach Him then. It was to be for all time and for all mankind. His blessed body, whose touch gave life and healing to the sick of Galilee and Judea, was to be our life and healing, too. Nay, we were to be allowed a closer union with Him than were those whose sores He touched and healed. He promised a Divine Bread that should give life to the world. This Bread was to be His Flesh and the food of all who should believe in Him:

"My Flesh is meat indeed and My Blood is drink indeed," are His solemn, earnest words.

When our Lord spoke in parables, He explained their meaning clearly, at least to the Apostles. But there was no parable here. He meant just what He said, and when some of His hearers, refusing to believe, went away, He let them go. He would have let the Twelve go had they refused to take His words as He meant them, in their simple, literal meaning. The way in which He was going to make this Gift to men and the manner in which His Body and Blood were to be received, He did not at this time explain.

He watched the disciples going away, and, turning to the Twelve, said sadly:

"Will you also go away?"