Editor’s note: This is the 10th of many scheduled Lectionary Living columns to be written by clergy in the Diocese of Central Florida.
Proper 16
August 26th
John 6: 56-69
“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.” John 6: 58-59
Peter makes this proclamation on the heels of many other disciples turning away from Jesus. Earlier in John 6, Jesus has claimed to be “the bread of life” and now he says that those who eat of his flesh and drink of his blood will live forever. This is too much for many of the people following Jesus. I love the line in verse 60, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it”. What is the answer to their question? Only those people who truly believe in the power and person of Jesus as the Messiah. No doubt for any Jew, this teaching would be an affront to their faith and understanding of the Law. Unless that is; they were able to see Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law. For those who could see Jesus in this way, the questions had to remain, but the decision to follow Jesus was the only thing that they knew was right for them to do. The mystery of how all this would work out was just that a mystery, but an undeniable truth that directed their hearts, minds, and bodies to the wisdom, power, and presence of God.
Following Jesus is not supposed to be easy or comfortable. Jesus often spoke about the narrow way, the way of suffering, the way of rejection, and the way of self-denial. Over and over again we read how Jesus challenged his disciples for the sake of God’s kingdom being revealed. I wonder in your life and mine, what are the hard words of Jesus that we have tried to ignore or rationalize away making our faith more about what we want than God’s kingdom revealed? Where do we say in our hearts “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” What would it look like for us not to just say but live the words of Peter in all aspects of who we are: “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.”
Do we dare believe? It will not be easy, but it will be the wisdom, power, and presence of God.
Fr. Brian Garrison
Rector, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
DeLand, FL 32724
www.stbarnabaschurchdeland.org