Master, to Whom Shall We Go?

Aug. 25, 2024

Today we conclude five weeks of readings from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of St. John. On the first week, we read the story of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. And for the past four weeks, we have read the Bread of Life Discourse, in which Jesus jousts with the crowd, who fail to understand His teaching. In this final reading, we witness one of the most dramatic moments in Jesus’ ministry.
   
After listening to what Jesus had to say, His followers made the decision to abandon Him, for they found His words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood to be repulsive and scandalous. He then turned to the Apostles, probably with a broken heart, and asked them, “Do you want to leave Me too?” Peter, speaking for the Twelve, replied, “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.”

I have often wondered how anyone who believes that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ could possibly walk away from the Catholic faith or even casually absent themselves from attending Sunday Mass.  My guess is that they either do not believe, or if they do believe, have not sufficiently reflected on what that means, for to leave the Catholic faith is to leave Jesus Christ Himself, and to skip Mass casually on Sunday is to treat our union with Christ as a casual thing. Hence, the Eucharistic Revival that we have been doing over the past two years.
   
Each of us is asked to make a decision, a choice. The words of Joshua to the Hebrews apply to us as well. Will we serve the Lord or not? Will we walk away, or will we make the commitment to stay and live out our union with Christ?
—Fr. Mike Comer