Saturday 3rd Week of Eastertide Gospel Reading – 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is for Teres (Tesa) Dunne RIP
Jesus has just finished telling the crowds that they must eat His Body and drink His Blood. Some people start to leave, saying, “This saying is hard, who can accept it?” What strikes me is that Jesus does not call back those who are leaving. He does not say, “Oh, I was only speaking figuratively.
You don’t really have to eat My Body and drink My Blood.” Jesus lets them go. If they cannot accept His invitation and command to feast on His very Body and Blood – the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation then Jesus does not want them to follow Him, because they do not believe in one of the most important aspects of His teaching.Jesus’ giving of Himself to us as the Bread of Life is just another good thing, which God has done for us. We need to continue to “offer sacrifice of thanksgiving to God and call upon the name of the Lord.” We need to come to the Master and feast upon Him and be willing to serve others as servants of Jesus Our Saviour.
• How have I given a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving back to God?
• How can I help others be open to the goodness of Go in their lives?