THE WORD
Ac 9,31-42 / Jn 6,60-69
Then many of [Jesus’] disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
IN OTHER WORDS.
The chaplain finally said, “No more new groups!” Filipino religiosity is a fact here in Rome. However, it also reveals a malady that weakens these otherwise lively, spiritual people. We tend to disintegrate into splinter communities because of misunderstandings and diverse grudges or animosities towards each other. This illness progressed into a “plague” when 10 or more groups began to pop up like crazy and each with a horror story to tell and axes to grind. When the Lord spoke of his body and blood as true food and true drink to be eaten and drunk, the followers began to distance from Him.
The parables, the miracles, and the friendship were ne but the Eucharistic teaching, the suffering, the crucifixion, the paschal mystery – were unacceptable. The offering of Spirit and Life – the very divine spirit life of God – was rejected because it demanded conversion, obedience and trust in the Son of God who, by his words, began to challenge their well-kept comforts of mind, body and spirit.
Thus, after spending time together, many stopped on their tracks and returned home, to their own selves, to the lives they had prior to the disturbance caused by the man of Nazareth. Except for Peter and the rest, where the friendship deepened and so was their faith in the Lord. The companionship no longer revolved around food, drink and sweet talk, but around the Lord and His Word, the mystery of His Eucharist and the encounter with fellow believers in Community, as the center of discipleship. “What kept you in the community after all these years?” I asked one community member of many, many years. She narrated her struggles and pains in and outside the community but concluded, “Nandito po ang Panginoon!” Call it cliché, corny or cheesy but didn’t Peter say of it as well? I think the question should have been, “Who kept you in the community after all these years?”
- Fr. Ferdinand Bajao, SVD | Rome, Italy
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
