CHOOSING CHRIST AGAIN

Jn 6:60-69

             ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it? Jesus was teaching his followers in the synagogue saying: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life". His followers could not make sense out of this. Does he think we are cannibals? Probably this was their thought. And many of them respond by turning back from following him. Now Jesus turns to his most intimate followers, the Twelve, and asks, “Do you also wish to go away?” Peter answers for the group, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.

            I guess the overall theme of today is the decision to follow the Lord anew; the decision to choose Christ again. In today's celebration we have the opportunity to understand the origin faith and the need for a serious commitment with Jesus and with his proposal.  In his discourse Jesus had presented himself as the food which satisfies hunger and thirst of all those who seek God. For Jesus it is not a question of having many people following him. Neither does he change the discourse when the message does not welcome. He speaks in order to reveal the Father and not to please anyone. He prefers to remain alone, and not be accompanied by persons who are not committed in his project. It is a opportunity for us to ask ourselves: Why are we here? Why are we still Christians? Why are we still Catholics? How are we shocked at the mystery we celebrate everyday? because if we are not shocked, if we are not amazed at the mystery we celebrate, at the blessings we receive from God, it is difficult for us to make a decision to follow Christ. Peter’s response is beautiful: “ Yes we are shocked, Lord,  but to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life!” It is out of shock that Peter faith comes. Even without understanding everything, Peter accepts Jesus as Messiah and believes in him. In the name of the group he professes his faith in Jesus.

            What is the difference between Peter (and the Twelve) who stick with Jesus and the other followers who turn back? Peter and his men did not understand the doctrine any more than the others did. They probably had as much a problem with the idea of eating flesh and drinking blood as those who left. The critical difference lay in Peter’s understanding that difficulty with a particular teaching of Jesus is not enough grounds to give up following him altogether. The other followers probably thought of Jesus as one way among so many, therefore, if you disagreed with his teaching you shop around for another one whose teachings you agree with. Peter, on the contrary, saw Jesus as the way, the unique messenger of God. He saw that it was better to follow Jesus even without intellectual enlightenment than to go out in search of intellectual enlightenment and lose Jesus.

            We know that faith seeks understanding, but there is no guarantee that faith will always find the understanding it seeks. Today’s gospel, therefore, is an invitation to put faith before and above understanding as Peter and the Twelve did. Our faith and trust in God is subject to constant challenges. We have to keep choosing anew to follow him. Let us ask the Lord to increase our faith that we may grow in our relationship with him and in the knowledge of his love for us.