Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6, 60-69
Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Words of eternal life
1. Murmuring. This is Christ’s struggle, and it will always be ours as well. How hard it is to manage a relationship or an organization when backbiting and gossip are present! Even Jesus suffered that. It’s important that you learn not to contaminate yourself and not to surround yourself with gossip, because it has an impact on you and might even stain you.
2. Believe. It’s a decision and, above all, believing entails taking on a lifestyle. That’s why Jesus is clear. Following Jesus is the natural result of your trust and surrender to Him. It’s the experience of your encounter with Jesus that leads you to be radical in your decision. When you believe, it is demonstrated in your way of life and not in the rites you practice.
3. Simon. Taking on this lifestyle also implies that many people can distance themselves from Jesus, because Christian life is decision as well as action. Like Simon Peter, if you’ve come to believe and are convinced that Jesus is the Holy One of God, there must be a change in your way of life. It means walking together with others and giving oneself the opportunity to live life in the style of Christ, thinking as Christ would think. Remember something good is on the way. God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
