MY daily reflection and prayer:
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to John 6:60-69
Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
THE Gospel today tells us about Jesus Christ who told his disciples that his words were spirit and life (John 6:63). It means that his words came from the heavenly Father.
Some people find it easier while others find it harder to accept the claims which Jesus made. Many stumbled when Jesus said that he was the bread of heaven and invited them to eat his flesh and drink his blood. He claimed to be the bread of heaven, the very life of God given to us as spiritual food to sustain us on our journey to our promised homeland with the Father in heaven. He challenged them to either accept his word as divine or reject it.
Even his apostles admitted that his words was a hard saying. It was not only hard to understand, but also hard to accept. But Jesus knew that some would not only reject him and his word, but would do so with violence, hatred, envy, and even betrayal by one of his own disciples.
But thank to the Lord, many were attracted to Jesus because he offered them a visible sign of God’s mercy and generosity. They were attracted to what Jesus demonstrated in his wonderful works of healing, deliverance, and miraculous signs, including the multiplication of the loaves and fish when he feed the five thousand who had gathered to hear him speak.
One of his apostles who accepted his word was Peter. Through the gift of faith he was able to receive spiritual revelation of who Jesus truly is. He is the Holy One of God, the eternal Son sent from the Father in heaven to redeem a fallen human race and reconcile them with God.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist while worshipping Jesus Christ we ask him to help us to grow in faith and trust in his word, even the hard sayings which are difficult to understand. We also learn from Peter to have faith, a gift which God freely gives to all of us who listen to his word and who put our trust in him.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you have the words of everlasting life. Grant us faith that we personally response to your revelation. Increase our faith that we may grow in knowing, loving, and serving you as our Lord and Savior now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
