In the Gospels, healing is a central sign of God’s kingdom. Jesus does not merely forgive sins or mend bodies—He restores SHALOM (peace, oneness, wholeness). When He says, “Your faith has made you whole,” there is more to it than a mere physical cure. Becoming whole means restoration: body, mind, soul, and relationships.

Just as Jesus’ healings restore wholeness in body and spirit, so too does He invite us to experience this restoration through sacred acts that unite the physical and the spiritual.

The Sacramental Nature of the Physical World

At the Last Supper, Jesus broke bread and gave wine, saying, “This is my body…this is my blood.” In these acts, ordinary elements become mystical windows to the Divine. The sacred and the mundane meet; matter becomes a vessel for spirit. This is a sacrament—a visible sign of invisible grace.

The Jewish mystics call this “raising the sparks”—discovering the holy hidden in the ordinary, sanctifying every aspect of daily life. Every meal, every conversation, every act of kindness, and every memory can become sacramental, taking part in the unity of God and creation.

When Jesus told His disciples, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53), He was inviting them into a profound mystical union. This radical teaching was not merely about physical consumption, but about participating in His very life—being so united with Him that His presence, love, and spirit become one with ours.

The Transubstantiation

The act of eating and drinking, in biblical imagery and in Judaism, is the most intimate sign of union. The dining table is where intimacy takes place—a space where barriers come down, hearts open, and relationships are deepened through shared presence and conversation. This is also what the Shabbat meal is all about.

But Christ takes this image one step further:

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (John 6:53)

As the food and drink we consume become part of our bodies and what sustains us, so Christ desires to become part of our being. Thus, the “transubstantiation.” Jesus is not only symbolically present with us at the table; He dwells within our bodies and hearts, bringing His love and presence into the very core of our being.

This invitation to oneness is celebrated in Christian tradition as Communion or the Eucharist. As a Jew, and to the best of my understanding, Catholic theology expresses this mystery through the mystical doctrine of transubstantiation: at the altar, bread and wine become, in essence, the very body and blood of Christ. Heaven and earth touch one another. Through this sacrament, Catholics believe they participate in a tangible and mystical act of union—not just remembering Jesus, but experiencing a real, living communion. It’s understood as an actual unity between the soul and Christ Himself, and, by extension, with God.

I came to deeply appreciate the beauty and mystery of this mystical element in Catholic tradition. Yet, from a Jewish perspective, I think something may be overlooked—the meal itself. In Judaism, a meal is never just food and wine; it’s also laughter, relationships, and joy – a gathering around the table.

And—as followers of Christ—at this table, we are called to invite the poor, the outcast, and the sinner—just as Jesus did. True communion is not only mystical; it is also profoundly human and inclusive, a celebration of God’s presence in the every day and in the company of those most in need of grace.

This was a short snippet from the chapter “ACHDUT” in my book “Kingdom Secrets: Mystical Beliefs in Light of Christ’s Wisdom.”

Click here to read the chapter for free.