BELIEVE IT OR NOT

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

“As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him.”(JN 6:66)

There are fewer sentences in scripture more sad than this one.  This exodus came about when some followers asked Jesus what sign could he do that would convince them of his legitimacy.  They suggested the manna Moses gave his people.  Jesus was quick to remind them that it was not Moses, but God who gave them the manna. There follows one of the longest discourses and arguments recorded from Jesus ministry.  He states clearly, “I am the bread that comes from heaven.”  At this point the discussion becomes very intense.  Jesus says, “My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink and whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”  Many began to back away at that point.  Finally only those closest to Jesus remained.  Jesus asks them if they, too, will be leaving and Peter replies, “Where would we go?”  They stayed, not because they understood, but because they loved him and trusted him.  

It must have been quite a moment at the Last Supper when Jesus explained, holding the bread aloft, ‘This is my body” and“This is my blood.”I can imagine Peter wondering why Jesus hadn’t explained that sooner, but by that time Peter knew Jesus’ ways were not up for discussion.  

Now we come to the part that troubles me.  During the Flu season the Archdiocese announces that in the interest of health, the Cup can be omitted from the distribution of the Sacrament.  I think that if it were true that we could become ill from drinking the Blood of Christ, the Church would not have survived past the first century.  

I encourage you to read John 6: 22-71.  Read carefully and put yourself in the story.  Would you have walked away?  Do we actually believe what Jesus said?  When the priest is saying Mass, he clearly asks the Spirit to transform the bread and wine.  The Spirit does this, not the priest. This is the center of our faith. We either believe in the power of the Spirit or we don’t. There cannot be any ambivalence.  

Jesus watched as the people walked away shaking their heads and thinking it was really too bad that someone so promising was clearly not right in the head.  It isn’t hard to imagine how he felt.  They had come for a lot of reasons, mostly selfish, and walked away when they were challenged to believe his shocking words. That left only the true believers.  Imagine the sadness in his heart when asked them, 

“Do you also want to leave?”

Then there is this: Is stopping the distribution of the Precious Blood during flu season a version of walking away?   

May the Spirit guide us. 

Carol Lemelin, OPA