Flesh and blood and bone and sinew
Are as matter of the Spirit
Are as form made up of Spirit
Are as shadows cast forth from It
From a stuff no one has seen.

How then can this subtle substance
Shape itself in form of body
Become flesh and blood of body
Become bony part of body
Become sinew of the body
Become a form that’s foul or fair?

This the alchemy of Spirit
This the secret  is of Spirit,
That the food we take in body
That the water drunk by body
That the air diffused in body
Should itself become a body,
This the miracle of life.

How can this of ether only
How can this from nature taken
Blind with thought we do not see?
How can yearning, feeling, striving
How can secret thoughts of passion
Brought to us from unseen river
Be as body, form as body
Become flesh and blood of body,
By the alchemy of unknown
Made of what we do not see?

Is not this the secret meaning
Is not this the holy meaning
is not this the unknown meaning
Of the flesh and blood of Christ?
When the bread we take in body
When of air we breathe in body
When of wine we drink in body
Is not this the eucharist?

He, the one who knew its meaning
He, the one who saw its meaning
He, the one who felt its meaning,
Is the one who spread the table
Is the one who filled the chalice
Is the one who broke the bread.
This he did to teach the lesson
This he did to give the reason
This he did to show that substance
Is of Spirit formed and held,
Is by Spirit freely given
Is by Spirit Gladly given
Is by Spirit always given,
By a process nature planned.

This the secret of the ages
This the wisdom of the wise men
This the truth they sought for
This is what they found within,
Body has a perfect pattern
Body has an unseen substance
Body has a complete likeness
In the Life and Mind of God.
But this unseen perfect pattern
And this unseen complete likeness
Is not hidden in the heavens
Is not far away from earth,
Is not distant from our landscape
Is not poised in air above us
Is not hidden under water
Is not buried in the ground.