For four Sundays, including today, we have journeyed through the Bread of Life Discourse from the Gospel of John. Through that journey, Jesus taught His disciples to seek food that would bring eternal life rather than ordinary food that would only prolong life here on earth. Next, he proclaimed that He is the Bread of Life, which they should ultimately seek. His discourse ratchets even higher when He tells them that consuming His flesh and blood as true food and drink promises resurrection and eternal life. Today, the talk ends and they must choose to believe His words or not. He would not be offering proof or arguments to convince them. Many of the disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Jesus of course already knew who would believe and knew that He was about to lose many of His followers. Many did leave and returned to their former way of life. It would have been easy for Jesus to have softened His message even slightly to keep His followers from leaving. Instead, He “doubled down.” Not only did He not back away but He points out even more astonishing realities will occur. For example, they will see Him ascend to heaven. As many were leaving, Jesus turns to His apostles to ask, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter in speaking for the other apostles responds with the words that have echoed in our Catholic faith throughout the centuries, “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.”
Today we, too, must make the same free choice to believe Him or to leave Him, to be faithful or unfaithful. Jesus explains in this reading, “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.” So just after Jesus had spoken about His Body and Blood, why would He add these words about His Spirit? Because the faith to believe the shocking words He had just spoken is a gift of God, the Holy Spirit. We must choose to believe that the Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus. This is the source and summit of our Catholic faith from which everything else derives its meaning and purpose. In the words of a twentieth century Catholic novelist, Walker Percy, when asked why he was Catholic, he responded, “What else is there?” What is our response? Even more importantly, do our daily lives reflect this true belief? Are we reverent and eager to receive our Savior in the Holy Eucharist?
Reflection by parishioner Dale Gerber