August 21, 2009
Sunday Scripture
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
The difficulty of the material of the gospel readings of the past four Sundays is well-expressed by the opening words of today’s gospel, “This saying is hard. Who can accept it?” What was this “hard saying?” The teaching of Jesus as the true manna, the true bread of life. Christianity is not primarily a children’s religion, nor does the teaching of the Scriptures consist of children’s stories. Scripture is primarily “adult” literature in a good sense. It can be difficult. Sunday audiences are too often accustomed to sweet stories that may give a little chill up and down the spine, or to hear the homilist talk about himself, his feelings, his travels. Mush without meat! Presentation of the Scriptures takes concentrated preparation and a presentation that can be hard to take a difficult to absorb.
Jesus (or John in this case) does not back down in the face of criticism. He asks, “Does this shock you?” Then a confusing statement, “What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?” Meaning: Everything that was taught in the previous homily must be seen in the light of his ascension, his return to the glory which “I had with you (the Father) before the world was made,” John 17:5. John prefaced with two miracles or signs this long homily on Jesus as the bringer of God’s teaching, as Jesus himself as God’s greatest teaching, and as his flesh and blood in the Eucharist. Those two signs revealed Jesus as God because in those miracles Jesus did what only God can do. They gave authenticity to the teaching in the homily that followed them. If Jesus can do what only God can do, then what he teaches must be as true as God is truth. The two miracles served this purpose at the beginning. The affirmation of Jesus’ ascension serves this purpose at the end of the homily.
But other than the miracles that Jesus did, is there any experimental evidence of the truth of this bread-of-life-teaching? No, there is not, and John recognizes this by the next two statements, “It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life,” and “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” Meaning: Acceptance of the teachings of this long homily is a gift of faith from the Father, delivered in the Son, and mediated through the Holy Spirit. We can only dispose ourselves for such a gift through a humble life and recognition of our dependence on God. And even these dispositions are a gift of God’s grace.
Finally, the author of this gospel tells his hearers and readers that because of this teaching many of Jesus’ disciples walked away, just as many members of the Christian community of John’s time objected and took their leave. From the Reformation to this day, this teaching is the divider between the true Church and those who broke away from their Mother and the truth she proclaimed. This teaching was affirmed by all the gospels and St. Paul, by the earliest Church Fathers, proclaimed by Church Councils, and held in faith to this day by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches of East and West.
John assures us that this teaching, which we now profess, was held and taught by the earliest disciples of Jesus up to the highest level — Simon Peter. Jesus asks the disciples who remained faithful, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter, speaking for the whole Christian community answers. We join his profession of faith, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” If Jesus is indeed the Holy One of God, then it is our duty to accept his teaching in this homily. We do not want to join those of whom John writes, “Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe, and the one who would betray him.”
The end of Israel’s wandering is at hand. Joshua, successor to Moses, and leader into the Promised Land, gathers the Israelites. He reviews what God has done for them. He gives them a choice, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” They can either serve the Lord, Yahweh-God, or the so-called gods of the heathen nations surrounding them. The people answer, ”We will not forsake the Lord to serve other gods.” Their response echoes the reply of Simon Peter in today’s gospel, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Because Simon Peter’s response and pledge of fidelity to Jesus echoes Israel’s response and pledge of fidelity to the Lord, this reading was chosen for today.
In this exhortation toward the end of the letter Paul speaks to Christian married couples. We have often heard that Paul insists on the subjection of wife to husband. True, he does, but with conditions. What is often not mentioned is that Paul also writes, and does so in today’s second reading, “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Each married partner has her and his own function in the family, but one being the slave of the other is not envisioned in Christian teaching.