IS JESUS’ TRUTH, HIS WAY, TOO HARD FOR ME TO ACCEPT?
What would I have done? That’s something I often ask of myself when reflecting on Scripture passages like today’s Gospel.
Jesus’ closest “students”, his apostles, had been with Him for quite some time at this point. They’d heard His message over and over, they’d seen His treatment of the poor and needy, they’d witnessed His miracles. They were convinced of who He was, the Messiah. They had waited their whole lives for this and given up everything to follow His Way.
But others had not been so close, had not witnessed as much as the apostles had. So, when Jesus says they are to eat His flesh and drink His blood, that’s going too far! Surely this can’t be the one whom they had waited for. This doesn’t make sense... and so they walk away.
We have the benefit of history to understand what Jesus meant at that time. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect us to continue to accept Jesus as God, and His teachings as Truth, a truth to be lived out daily. And yet, where do I stand in this belief? Our Eucharistic Congress pointed out the witness of the belief of thousands, in spite of the fact that the majority of Catholics in America do not REALLY believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Rather they believe it is a beautiful, meaningful SYMBOL of Jesus’ presence among us.
What do I believe? Do I stand before the Christ with total trust in His Presence and in His teachings? Is my life one that says, “I believe; help my unbelief”? Or when living out that faith, living out Jesus’ WAY, do I sometimes find it too hard to take and ignore it... or walk away from it?
BUT THEN, do I believe ENOUGH to know that Jesus understands my weakness and continues to hold me in His arms and give me the strength of His Spirit when I TURN AROUND and TRY again?
Sister Cathy Fedewa, CSFN
