Contemplation of the Word

18. But in order to reach the highest attainments in the divine life, the mind must be occupied with contemplation of the Word of God, that you may know what is the will of God, and become a doer of the words of Christ. This is represented by Christ as eating his flesh and drinking his blood. He says: “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” And when the disciples did not discern the spiritual character of his words, Jesus said unto them, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” The eating of Christ is represented by the engrafting of the branches on the vine. Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.... Abide in me; and I in you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.”PH152 37.1