To "eat his flesh and drink his blood” symbolises fully internalising and believing in his sacrifice on the cross.
When we consume Jesus’ body and blood, we abide in him. The theological meaning of "abide in" is to maintain a continuous, permanent, and living connection with Jesus Christ. It is a mutual
indwelling with Jesus, in which we, as believers, remain in Jesus, and Jesus makes a spiritual home within us. As believers, we depend entirely on Jesus for our spiritual life. For this, our faith should not just be a Sunday-only ritual, but a permanent, daily connection. The mutual indwelling creates a two-way relationship where we rely on Jesus, and Jesus lives actively in and through us.
To maintain our relationship
with Jesus, we need to consistently read, meditate on, and internalise scripture. We need to consume the body and blood of Jesus regularly. We need to maintain an ongoing, open conversation with God throughout the day. We need to trust in God's love and express his love to others.
When we abide in Jesus, and he abides in us, God's commands will be expressed with love, we will grow in spiritual fruits, such as love, joy,
peace, and patience, and we will have a deep sense of peace, stability, and protection in the face of life’s challenges and spiritual trials.
What is our relationship with God like at the moment?
What do we need to do to get closer to Jesus?
