Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel concludes this weekend, the 21^st Sunday of Ordinary Time.  Over the last five weeks we have been given separate servings of the one discourse on the Bread of Life; it began with the feeding of the 5,000 on the 17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Each week there is something to chew on about what the Eucharist means.  Different questions come to mind.  Do we understand everything?  Can we believe even when we don’t fully understand?  Jesus revealed himself as the Bread of Life, offering his flesh and blood as real food and real drink.  His teaching, however, has not been easy to accept.

Many of those who followed Jesus, up until now, start to question, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”  As a result of this, many of his disciples return to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.

Faith is not always easy.  We too, can find ourselves struggling with aspects of our faith.  There are moments when it is easier to walk away.

Like Peter, even when we do not have all the answers, but we know where life is found – in Jesus – we can make a statement of belief based on our own experience and based on our relationship with Christ:

Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’  Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to?  You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’

I am continually inspired by people I’ve met who through their own lives make this statement of belief.  They make this statement through their contributions to different ministries and charities in and outside their own community.  The message of eternal life urges us on to do things, otherwise we wouldn’t.  We go to places and meet people which without the word of life we would never have met.

I think of the people, despite the many challenges and pushbacks, advocate for justice to people who lack the necessities of food, water and shelter.  The message of life comes alive in these works.  Those who carry them out are fed and energised by what they do.

May the Bread of Life and the message of life urge us on.

By Fr Hoang Dinh

Published: 23 August 2024