Manna and the Holy Eucharist

In this week’s gospel reading taking from St John chapter 6 there is a discussion between Jesus and some of his doubters. His detractors ask Jesus to provide a sign in the same manner that ‘manna’ was provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. Jesus responds that God has delivered the ‘manna’ to the people today also. Jesus is identifying himself as the manna.

The manna was a miraculous provision from God to the Israelites who were on their journey out of Egypt. We read about the manna in Exodus 16 and Numbers 11. For Orthodox Christians the manna was a symbol of the Holy Eucharist. As Jesus reveals in St John 6, the disciples of Jesus are to consume the ‘bread of life’ which is the true body of Christ. Considering the manna to be a symbol of the Holy Eucharist teaches us some important lessons on the Holy Eucharist.

First the Holy Eucharist is the source of our sustenance in our earthly journey. Just as the Israelites were sustained by the manna in the wilderness so too we are sustained by the Holy Qurbana. In the dismissal of the Holy Qurbana the priest reminds us that we have received the food for the journey from the atoning altar of our Lord. The strength we gain from the Holy Qurbana was also foreshadowed by the strength that Elijah received from the heavenly bread in 1 Kings 19. "So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God." (1 Kings 19:8)

Secondly the Eucharist spiritually nourishes us to forget the unhealthy food. It is important to note that as soon as the Israelites were in the wilderness they began to murmur against Moses and expressed disappointment in the lack of food. They longed for the food that they had while they were enslaved. However once God provided them with heavenly provision they were able to forget about the food of Egypt. Similarly a regular participation in the Holy Qurbana helps us to overcome our longing for the unhealthy diet of our past enslavement. In the preparatory prayer for the Holy Qurbana we pray “that by the food of thy holy body by passions may be quenched.”

Thirdly the Holy Eucharist is a hope of the heavenly manna. The true body and blood of our Lord that we receive in the earthly temple of God is a reminder of the heavenly and hidden manna that we will receive from the heavenly temple. In the book of Revelation we hear, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna.” (Revelation 2:17)

Finally the Holy Eucharist is a memorial of the salvation gifted by God. Let me first clarify that the Holy Qurbana is not simply a memorial and that it is truly the body and blood of Christ. Yet when we participate in the Holy Qurbana we are fulfilling the command of our Lord to “do this in remembrance of me.” We should especially note that the ‘manna’ was kept by the Israelites within the ark of the covenant as a memorial of their redemption from enslavement in Egypt.

The ‘manna’ showered down from above for the Israelites escaping from slavery in Egypt was a symbol of Christ himself. We experience Christ as the manna when we receive the Holy Qurbana.