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“I WILL SIT WITH YOU”

THIS IS MY BODY

In the cave’s lowermost chamber, the priest raises the last wafer—his supply has been exhausted—toward the foron’sred and yellow in the laht

The catastrophe of the divine sacrifice by his hands

Take this, all of you, and eat of it

Then the chalice containing the final drops of wine

Take this, all of you, and drink from it

Midnight in late November In the caves below, the sh supplies to last until spring No one has died of the plague in months The worst appears to be over They are safe here, perfectly safe

With faith in your love and mercy, I e

at your body and drink your blood

His whispers echo in the deep They clae toward the upper chaees have fallen into a restless sleep

Let it not bring me condemnation, but health in mind and body

There is no more bread, no more wine This is his final Communion

May the body of Christ bringlife

The stale frague

May the blood of Christ bringlife

The drops of soured wine that burn his throat

God in his mouth God in his empty stomach