The Bread of Life

Karen Popp of The Catholic Thing analyzed the spiritual nature of the Eucharist, distinguishing the eating of Christ's flesh from the physical consumption of manna. Popp noted that while a mother provides nourishment to a child, the relationship between Christ and humanity involves the distinction between God and man.

The analysis explained that Christ had to give his life to become the Bread of Life for believers. Popp stated that when listeners questioned how Christ could give his flesh to eat, he corrected them by using the title Son of Man to refer to his expiatory sacrifice. According to Popp, believers do not feed on a dead Christ, but on the glorified Christ in heaven who died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.