Goodbye, Lord?
What are some instances in your life that you wanted to say to Jesus, “Goodbye, Lord”?
In today’s Gospel reading, some of Jesus’ disciples decided to leave Him because they could not take His invitation: to eat His flesh and drink His blood. They found it unacceptable to share in His life and even His death.
To become like Jesus should not only remain as a pious exhortation. It is a lifestyle that we ought to embrace. Many say, “I accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.” But when it comes to love the last, the least, and the lost, we have many reasons not to. If Jesus had a Facebook account, I am sure, He would receive many “Likes” and other emojis to approve what He said and did. But when we are asked by Jesus to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, to forgive those who asked forgiveness from us, and be patient with those who do not agree with us and our expectations, many of us tell Jesus, “Why should I care?” When the Church upholds life, marriage, and family, some think that the Church is interfering in their personal affairs. And so, some left. But isn’t it that since we are from God and we all go home to God, He must be present in all aspects of life?
Yes, Jesus does not force us. But if we respond to Him, our reception of Him in Holy Communion does not only remain a ritual but a commitment to think, to love and to act like Jesus. In the end, the reason why we follow and stay with Jesus comes from our conviction as echoed by the words of St Peter, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
A “goodbye” to Jesus can be an option. But to be with Jesus is a day-to-day decision. But the good news is this: whether we’ll leave or we’ll stay, Jesus remains.
25 August 2024, 21st Sunday in the Ordinary Time; Jn 6:60-69
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