TEXT: The Holy Gospel According to St. John 6: 60-69
Our Lord Jesus had just proclaimed the truth of the Body and Blood of Christ.
In the Gospel Acclamation today we heard the words -- "Your words, Lord, are spirit and life, you have the words of everlasting life."
Jesus had said - "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live in me and I in him, says the Lord."
If we fail to trust in these truths we fail at the fundamental point of our Catholic Faith.
These were hard sayings.
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"
There are many things hard to comprehend within the Faith.
In counseling session I have heard the words of counselees who insist when they are confronted with sins they know are wrong that the Church teaches that are wrong, that the Holy Scriptures teach that are wrong. Yet, these folks have many times without blinking an eye turned and said to me that they accept everything that I said except what the Church teaches, because in their own minds these things do not make sense to them.
The disciples never said that, but their hearts were challenged by this new proposition of our Lord Jesus Christ! "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"
61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?
62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?
In deed they would witness the Son of man ascending into the heavens out of their site and angels would tell them where Jesus had gone and that he was coming again in like manner. Thusly, we pray in the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary in this great glorious mystery of the ascension. And, thusly, we proclaim this in the Nicene Credo during the holy Mass. Yes, Jesus would be seen ascending where he was before.
In our own parish Church building we see over the altar the Blessed Holy Trinity, One God, with Jesus seated at the Right Hand of the Father with the Holy Spirit, surrounded by the Saints. Yes, they saw Jesus ascend to where we was before.
63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Indeed, our Lord Jesus meant exactly what he spoke to them. Jesus had said - "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live in me and I in him, says the Lord."
Again, In the Gospel Acclamation today we heard the words -- "Your words, Lord, are spirit and life, you have the words of everlasting life."
As always, there are some who find this hard to believe.
64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him.
65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
God is so interested in freedom.
Rosa Parks a black woman and seamstress who lived in Montgomery, Alabama chose on one day to refuse to get up from her seat and give that seat that was hers to a white person. She proclaimed a freedom from slavery and oppression that God had delivered her from. For Rosa, her Lord was everything to her, so, she followed Joshua on that day to freedom and the movement began in this nation for the oppressed to rise from oppression.
But, this is only an example of a greater freedom we may have in Christ, The freedom of Life in Christ Jesus the Son of man. We are called to the highest vocation that mankind will ever know and experience -- "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
The calling is from God and God wants for us to have this freedom!
Yet, there are some who will never experience this first hand.
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.
Why is this?
It is because when we are confronted with the words of God we are confronted often with something new we have never experienced in life, and, there needs to be a conversion.
It is repentance and conversion that we need - absolutely!
God calls us to turn from sin and turn to Christ in the obedience of faith! (Romans 1:5)
So, many walk when confronted by Jesus' words of truth. "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." "Your words, Lord, are spirit and life, you have the words of everlasting life."
Jesus had said - "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live in me and I in him, says the Lord."
67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?"
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life;
69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
Thanks be to God alone.
St. Peter establishes for us today what should be our own responsiveness to the Word of God.
Like Mary, may we respond to Jesus, as did St. peter and the other disciples who became apostles of the Lord.
Grace and peace.