Comments on: Saturday May 11, 2019: Truth or Consequences.

By: fgd

fgd — Sat, 11 May 2019 17:39:44 +0000

John, I really enjoyed your reflection. It makes me wonder what group I would have been in: the ones who left or those who stayed. The older I get the more I can see the gray areas, some things are not so black and white anymore. I am not sure if this is good or bad, I am just praying I am stay on the right path to God.

By: A

Sat, 11 May 2019 16:10:57 +0000

I’ve been thinking about how the Catholic Church authorities are behaving like the Pharisees and scribes. Putting in all those laws (compare all those 600+ Jewish laws and the Catechism), but not looking at what Jesus actually said. Not treating people with love and compassion. The stance on IVF is one of those issues. The Church is a broken record with its “have babies, remember to have babies” song, and then when couples (married heterosexual couples, no less!) try a way to have a baby, the Church condemns them. This situation is not only ironic, but sad.

I would have left that parish, too. Kudos to those who did. Just like kudos to the people who walked out of Mass one day when the priest was pontificating about homosexuality. That was at a parish I used to attend when I lived in another city. I would have walked out with them, had I not been out of town that Sunday.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 11 May 2019 14:56:53 +0000

Hey John,

I like your insight on today’s Gospel reading. I think a better title may be “Truth and Consequences”, considering the end point of Christ’s ministry.

To answer Peter’s question, “Master, to whom shall we go?”, your quote from T.F. Tenney pretty much sums it up. Anywhere but here. For all but one of the Apostles, the first law of nature seems to kick in…self preservation.

Mark

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 11 May 2019 13:30:53 +0000

It must have been painful for Jesus to see so many of his disciples leave him, especially after he had been with them so long, taught them, loved them, supported them, healed them. He had been a good friend to them. According to some biblical scholars, Jesus did not use the standard Greek verb “to eat”. The verb most literally translated as “to bite, chew, gnaw.” One can easily be turned off even in our day. But today, we use the words eat and drink and it does not sound as offensive. In fact when we do receive the body and blood of Christ in Eucharist, what we see with our eyes is a round white wafer that the priest has consecrated. I recall many years ago, a priest giving a talk on the Eucharist. He said most people let the wafer stay on our tongue before we swallow it. He said, in fact, we should be chewing on the bread of life. If we put ourselves back in the time of Jesus, and recall the Jewish traditions, it would have turned our stomachs. Perhaps Jesus was asking them to stretch their minds beyond the physical into the spiritual realm. There was a case where a priest who doubted the wafer was the actual body of Christ saw the bread and wine change into real flesh and blood as in the case of the Lanciano Miracle (in the 8th century). I visited Lanciano in 2010 to see these relics. Because of the number of pilgrims, one could only have a brief look and move on. But it leaves a deep impact on most people who have the privilege of seeing.

Have a blessed weekend

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 11 May 2019 13:28:56 +0000

Awesome reflection John. It’s the Holy Spirit, not us, who moves in and through us. Jesus said He would separate the sheep from the goats, though He wants us all to be sheep and follow Him. He even goes after the lost sheep. That is why we can never give in to discouragement with our loved ones who choose not to follow Him. The truth will always offend others. That is the nature of the truth. God bless all today.

By: Pk

Pk — Sat, 11 May 2019 11:50:11 +0000

When you really put yourself in those people’s shoes, honestly, what would your reaction be? They had no fore knowledge of the Eucharist. Maybe a lot of those people came back to following Christ after His resurrection. I am so thankful for those 12 apostles, who some how understood what our Lord was talking about.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 11 May 2019 11:31:13 +0000

In what seems a gentle way Jesus gives us a chance to make up our own minds…his truthful way…not threatening just truth with all its sharp edges. Outstanding refection John!

By: Norbert Adekaldu

Norbert Adekaldu — Sat, 11 May 2019 08:34:06 +0000

Hi John, your reflection inspires me so much. God bless you.