Q. 229: How could anyone possibly walk away from Jesus, like some of his followers did in the Gospel story today (Jn 6:60-69)?
A. 229: We tend to forget what the audience of Jesus was hearing and feeling at that time. You know, over the centuries, some of the words of the Gospel have lost their "shock value." We forget what the words would have meant to someone listening to Jesus, back in his time 2,000 years ago. Remember some of the things that Jesus said to them? One time he said, "Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me... From this point on you know Him; if you have seen me, you have seen Him" (Jn 14:7). Another time he said, "If you do not eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you… The one who feeds on me will have life because of me…" (Jn 6:53, 57). Well, there was no mistaking what he meant then, and there is no mistaking now what he meant! He is saying, "I am God!"
Those words had great "shock value" to a listener of Jesus! That is why we hear many disciples say, in today's Gospel, "That is really a hard saying!" And many disciples left him and no longer followed him because of it! It called for a giant "leap of faith" - the listeners two thousand years ago had to choose. Peter speaks for the Twelve Apostles who stayed when he says, "We have come to believe, and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
Every day we are faced with the same choice. Do we believe that the Eucharist is his real body and blood? Will we follow Jesus by surrendering our wills and hearts to him, or will we "walk away" and follow some other influence?
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! We Catholics believe in the Real Presence! This is exactly why the Roman Catholic Church is the custodian of the body and blood of Jesus Christ! It is what differentiates us from the those who do not believe the words of Jesus. (CCC #1105, 1353, 1374) This would be a good time to renew your grasp of the teachings of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church (see CCC #1356-1380). It is faith that led Peter to acknowledge Jesus as God in today's gospel; it is by faith that we apprehend the reality of the Sacrament of Eucharist (#1381).
Deacon Paul Rooney
Mary Our Queen Parish, Omaha
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