I’M NOT BEING FED: THE NO. 1 CATHOLIC EATING DISORDER, by Jeff Cavins. Ascension Press (West Chester, Pa., 2004).

As the year of the Eucharist comes to a close, Jeff Cavins’ newest book, I’m Not Being Fed: The No. 1 Catholic Eating Disorder, could not have come at a more appropriate time. Drawing on his time away from the Catholic Church, Cavins is a reliable source to shine some light on the subject of fallen-away Catholics and how they are called back by the Eucharist. Through his exegesis of John 6, a very difficult passage for most Protestants, he takes a plunge that helps readers fall more deeply in love with this amazing sacrament and the Church that protects it.

Cavins realized that many fallen-away Catholics shared similar symptoms — they felt like they weren’t "being fed." So they leave the Church for a lively sermon, loud music or small faith-sharing groups.

"They take that as true feeding," Cavins said.

His book is aimed at answering questions raised by Catholics who decide to settle for a Protestant faith. It begins with an abbreviated version of Cavins’ own story of how he left the Church and then years later, after serving as a Protestant minister, returned. "I clearly didn’t understand the meal offered to me. I thought I would be better fed elsewhere," he writes. But the "food" offered by the Protestant faith was not enough to satisfy. In the end, it was the Eucharist that called him home.

I’m Not Being Fed forms a logical, well-supported argument that the Catholic Church and the Eucharist are the only true paths through life. By delving into details about the shepherd and sheep analogy, Cavins describes some popular "wrong" paths and argues in favor of tradition, the pope and the structure of the Mass. This discussion sets up a solid base for the meat of his book: John 6, the Bread of Life Discourse.

While much of Scripture is quoted in the book, Cavins devotes two full chapters to picking apart John 6.

"That’s the classic chapter," he said, adding that the early Church Fathers drew upon John 6 as the demonstration of the Mass. In the first part of the chapter, Jesus speaks to the people, the Liturgy of the Word. The second part is about eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood, the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

"Interpreting Jesus’ command to eat His flesh and drink His blood as a metaphor … is not enough," Cavins writes. "The logic is there to be seen: Jesus feeds the people literal bread. He offers literal eternal life to those who literally believe in him."

The book explains that the Church is what offers a balanced spiritual diet. The human body needs certain foods to keep running: fruits, vegetables, meat. Settling for anything else would not be adequate.

"The Church offers the real meal," Cavins said.

"If you give $100 to a young person, they’ll get something fun to eat," Cavins said. They’ll buy chocolate bars, chips and ice cream, but that’s not what the body needs to sustain itself. "We need the body and blood of Christ and the Word in context of the Church," he said — the filet mignon over the chocolate bar.

Those who leave the Church ultimately are settling for something less than that real, sustaining food. They settle for the sugar and fluff without discerning where the truth is. Their emotions are uplifted, but they aren’t receiving the grace that comes through the sacrament, Cavins said.

"If what the Catholic Church teaches is true, there is nothing else that you could settle on," he said. "Once you understand the Eucharist, you can’t go anywhere else."

Before the book, Cavins had used this material in talks by the same name. The CD and cassette have been on Catholic best seller lists, and Cavins has received feedback from people who have come back to the Church because of it. The book will make this information accessible to more people.

Cavins also explained how many Catholic families are affected by a family member who leaves the Church. This book could serve as an excellent gift for moms or dads who don’t know how to help a child return home.

"If the Church is right, then people have some serious questions to answer," Cavins said. What would one be willing to receive in place of the body and blood of Christ?

I’m Not Being Fed will be available Sept. 1 through Ascension Press at 1-800-376-0520 or through amazon.com.