This Is My Body (eBook)

On the day she discovered she was pregnant, Hannah Shanks received Communion. She heard Jesus’ familiar words, “This is my body, broken; This is my blood poured out,” in a new way and felt closer to God. This Is My Body reflects on Communion, a central act of the Christian faith, and proclaims that God can be seen through the eyes, bodies, and experiences of women. “Women and mothers are not left out of the story,” Shanks writes. “Our selves, our bodies, and our experiences have always testified to the glory of God—not as a special story relevant only to women who bear children but to everyone.”

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Kneeling at the communion rail, Hannah Shanks heard the familiar words "e;The body of Christ, broken for you"e; as she received the bread. And then "e;The blood of Christ, shed for you"e; as she was given the cup. Just hours before she had found out she was pregnant. Now she heard the words "e;This is my body"e; in a new way. It occurred to her that Jesus' words spoken at the Last Supper-"e;This is my body, broken; This is my blood poured out"e;-were as fitting a description of birth as they are of death. This Is My Body is a journey of discovery and reclamation, of finding familiar paths in unfamiliar territory and new facets to ancient rituals. Part personal narrative and part unearthing of scripture passages from a woman's point of view, it helps readers realize that God can be seen through the experiences of women just as much as those of men. Using the communion liturgy and elements of the common table as a framework, the book offers much material for reflection on a central act of Christianity.