GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 6TH MAY 2017
SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE
FIRST READING: Acts 9:31-42
PSALM: Psalm 116:12-17
GOSPEL: John 6:60-69
THEME: LORD TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?
Observable creative initiatives adopted by some Christian communities to attract people to the Church include “free” bus services, “free” provision of tea and coffee after church services, fully air-conditioned church buildings with well-furnished executive chairs. These initiatives are admirable and may serve as an expression of the Church’s ministry of hospitality and care. However, it is fair to say that following Jesus goes beyond drinking tea and coffee and sitting in buses for free. To follow Jesus is tough and sometimes rough.
The sixth chapter of the Gospel of John presents us with an audience who flocked in their numbers to experience the ministry of Jesus because he had provided physical bread and fish (material prosperity). Jesus, taking note of their motive for following him, said, “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life…” (Jn 6:27). He then added, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn 6:53-54).
The crowd felt disappointed with the teaching of Jesus and in today’s Gospel we read, “After hearing it, many of his followers said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’…After this, many of his disciples went away and accompanied him no more” (Jn 6:60, 66).
In search of material blessings, many disciples of Jesus today, preachers and listeners alike, abhor the words of eternal life. In pursuit of “material breakthroughs” the temptation to turn the Church into a business enterprise and to customised it to suit everyone has become so real.
There is a saying that “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” It takes a person with tough faith to stand resolute and hold firm to the teachings of Jesus in the face of the many forces that seek to water down the Christian faith. Peter stands out as a model disciple. Asked by the Lord whether he too would like to go away, he responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).
Complete trust in Jesus is a mark of a true disciple. Even if we do not understand fully the path that He leads us on, we trust that Jesus would lead us home.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I choose to follow you whether there is butter on my bread or not for you have the words of eternal life.
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen)