The invitation

The Bread of Life.

(The Gospel History, Section 64)

Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is from God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.

The invitation

(The Saviour of the World, Vol IV, Book I, Poem XXIII)

“I am the bread of life … This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea, and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.”

The Lord, a mortal Man, stood in that crowd
Of men so like Himself; He cried aloud:—
I am the living Bread, and who would be
Alive for evermore must eat of Me!

My flesh, the Bread that for the world I give;
And whoso eateth of My flesh shall live.
Your fathers ate of manna and they died;
Ye are an-hungered, lately satisfied;

But whoso eats the Bread from heaven descended,
His hungers, thirstings, pains of death, are ended:
Doth famine threaten—hastes he to the Board
Spread lavish for his eating by his Lord:

Nor for the Jews alone, of chosen race,
Is there at My great table laid a place:
Ho, ye that thirst, that hunger, come and eat!
The whole world would I at My supper seat.

But ah, not all will come to Me for food;
Not all know to discriminate their good!
There be, My Father whispers in the ear,—
These hear His word and haste them to appear:—

They sit and eat and rise up satisfied,
Happy of heart, of face beatified:
Believe, O men, there is enough for all;
Lend ear, ye careless, to the Father’s call!

Would any father famish his own seed?
A father, knows he not his children’s need?
My Father knows how, hungry, ye must go
Who seek your sustenance in things below,—

For ye be more than these; ye may not live
On those poor empty husks the world can give:
These be of heavenly mysteries the sign,
But the food that ye shall live by is divine.

Come, eat, My people, be ye satisfied;
Think on those victims that for Israel died;
Pictures are they, foretell how I should die,
A sacrifice for you to whom I cry:—
Come, take this Bread, My children,—it is I!

St. John vi. 43–51.