The Gospel of John 6:56-69
Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “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.”
Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the true bread of life. Help us to abide in Him, embracing His teachings and presence in our daily lives. Strengthen our faith, especially when we encounter difficult teachings or challenges. May we always recognize that in Jesus, we find the words of eternal life. Guide us to live in a way that reflects our deep communion with Him. Amen.
This Gospel is challenging. Here, Jesus speaks about the necessity of eating His flesh and drinking His blood to abide in Him and have eternal life. This teaching was difficult for many of His disciples to accept, causing some to turn away from Him. And even among the Twelve, Jesus says that there are those who do not believe! Even today, when we know that Jesus has been using ordinary words to refer to extraordinary things, it is still somewhat difficult. Jesus emphasizes the intimate relationship between Him and His followers. By using the metaphor of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He points to the deep spiritual communion that sustains and nourishes believers. This can be seen as a call to fully embrace and internalize His teachings and presence in our lives. In the Gospel Lesson Jesus contrasts the manna that the Israelites ate in the wilderness with Himself, the true bread from heaven. While the manna provided temporary physical sustenance, Jesus offers eternal spiritual nourishment. This highlights the importance of seeking spiritual fulfillment through Christ rather than relying solely on worldly provisions.
We see also the challenges of faith. Many disciples found Jesus’ words hard to accept and chose to leave. This moment of decision reflects the broader theme of commitment in the face of difficult teachings. Simon Peter’s response, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” exemplifies a deep trust and recognition of Jesus as the source of true life. I think what Jesus and the gospel writer John are trying to communicate to us here is that we want to believe in things and people that will make a difference in our physical existence. We can get trapped in only thinking about this physically, like our ancestors did about the manna and the crowd did about their stomachs. Instead of giving God credit for providing for their physical needs through his spiritual working of making manna fall from the heavens, In this final gospel reading of John’s chapter six, we find the followers of Jesus in an internal struggle. Rightly reading the mood, Jesus says, “Does this offend you?” We learn that some of those who had been following Jesus “turned back and no longer went about with him.” Jesus then turns to the Twelve and says, “Do you also wish to go away?” Peter plays the spokesperson, just as he does in the other Gospels: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” The question now becomes to what level are our own lives in relationship to Jesus, not just as a role model, but to what level do we allow Jesus’s life force to interact with our own lives? And how does Jesus define our own identity? This is an invitation to allow Jesus to interact in our lives that He becomes the source of our energy and our power, and as long as we believe in him there is life. It becomes a conversation about relationship not just a personal relationship, but a relationship in which his life defines our lives. Yes, he is the bread of heaven, the bread of life, and the living bread, the manna sent from God to sustain the lives of God’s people. The bread He offers is needed to live life with boldness rather than fear, with love rather than hate, with hope rather than pessimism.
Let us Pray: Lord of all, As we gather around Your table, may we be united in love and purpose. Let the sacrament of the Eucharist draw us closer to You and to one another. Help us to live out the unity we share in Christ, showing compassion and kindness to all. May our lives be a testament to Your grace and mercy. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 