Greetings friends,
This is Mark Gladman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighbourhood monk in dogs.
Welcome to another session of our Lectio Divina series,
Pondering the questions that Jesus asked.
As we begin today,
Just allow yourself to settle into stillness.
Let your body relax.
Let your thoughts slow without needing to silence them completely.
And as you arrive here,
Bring your whole self,
Your faith and your uncertainty,
Your desire and your weariness,
Your longing.
And your questions as today we sit with one of the most human and vulnerable questions Jesus asks his disciples.
The moment comes near the end of John chapter 6.
Jesus has been teaching about difficult things,
Speaking about himself as the bread of life,
Speaking in ways that confuse and unsettle many who'd been following him.
And the response is striking.
John writes that because of this,
Many of his disciples turned back.
I no longer went about with him.
In other words,
People begin leaving.
The crowd that once gathered around him starts thinning.
The excitement fades.
The teaching has become too difficult for them,
Too demanding.
Maybe even too mysterious.
Then Jesus turns to the twelve and asks,
You don't want to leave too.
And there's something deeply moving about this question.
It's not Jesus trying to manipulate them,
Or pressure them,
Or demanding loyalty through fear.
He's actually giving them freedom.
Love by its nature can't be coerced.
Relationships can't be forced and even Christ allows people to walk away.
And perhaps.
.
.
This is part of what makes this question so powerful because it reveals the vulnerability of love itself.
Jesus doesn't stand above human relationship untouched by rejection or disappointment.
He experiences people leaving.
He experiences misunderstanding.
He experiences the grief of watching others turn away and still Jesus remains open.
But this question's also speaking into the reality of spiritual life because there's seasons where following Christ feels clear and alive,
But there are also seasons in a lot of them.
When faith becomes difficult.
When prayers feel unanswered,
When the path becomes confusing.
When disappointment and suffering and disillusionment or exhaustion all begin to weigh down heavily on the soul.
And there's moments when leaving.
Becomes tempting.
Not always physically leaving religion or church,
Though sometimes that too.
It the inward leaving.
Becoming numb,
Closing the heart,
Stopping the search for God.
Retreating from vulnerability,
Abandoning hope that transformation is possible.
Maybe Jesus asks this question to invite honesty.
You don't want to leave too,
Do you?
Contemplative spirituality teaches that faith isn't sustained by emotions or certainty.
It deepens through staying.
Through remaining.
Through abiding.
Present even when clarity disappears.
And this isn't about pretending everything's making sense.
But it's through continuing the relationship even when it doesn't.
Peter's response is really important here.
He says,
Lord,
To whom can we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
So notice that Peter isn't saying we fully understand.
He's not claiming certainty,
He's just recognizing that something in Christ continues calling him deeper.
Then is confusion.
Maybe.
This is what mature faith looks like.
Not possessing all the answers but remaining open,
Present.
Willing to stay in relationship with God through both consolation and dryness.
Because love deepens not only in moments of inspiration,
But also.
.
.
In endurance.
So as we move into the readings of the passage,
Notice the emotional tone that you hear.
Notice the leaving.
But also notice the freedom that Jesus gives and notice Peter's response.
And maybe allow yourself to hear the question personally and honestly spoken gently to you.
You don't want to leave too,
Do you?
So our reading today comes from John chapter 6 verses 60 to 69.
When many of Jesus' disciples heard it,
They said,
This teaching is difficult.
Who can accept it?
But Jesus,
Being aware that his disciples were complaining about it,
Said to them,
Does this offend you?
Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life.
The flesh is useless.
The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But among you there are some who do not believe.
For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe.
And who was the one that would betray him.
And he said,
For this reason I have told you,
That no one can come to me.
And their cities granted by the Father.
Because of this,
Many of His disciples turned back and no longer went about with Him.
So Jesus asked the twelve.
Do you also wish.
.
.
To go away.
Simon Peter answered him,
Lord,
To whom can we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.
When many of Jesus' disciples heard it,
They said,
This teaching is difficult.
Who can accept it?
But Jesus,
Being aware that his disciples were complaining about it,
Said to them,
Does this offend you?
Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life.
The flesh is useless.
The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But among you there are some who do not believe.
For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe.
And who was the one that would betray him.
And he said,
For this reason I have told you,
That no one can come to me.
Unless it is granted by the Father.
Because of this,
Many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.
So Jesus asked the twelve.
Do you also wish.
.
.
To go away.
Simon Peter answered him,
Lord,
To whom can we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.
When many of Jesus' disciples heard it,
They said,
If this teaching is difficult,
Who can accept it?
But Jesus,
Being aware that his disciples were complaining about it,
Said to them,
Does this offend you?
Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life.
The flesh is useless.
The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But among you there are some who do not believe.
For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe.
And who was the one that would betray him.
And he said,
For this reason I have told you,
That no one can come to me.
Unless it is granted by the Father.
Because of this,
Many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.
So Jesus asked the 12,
Do you also wish?
To go away.
Simon Peter answered him,
Lord,
To whom can we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.
As we bring our time together to a close,
I invite you to pray with me.
Christ who remains open even when others walk away.
You know the fragile and searching nature of the human heart.
You know the seasons when faith feels difficult,
When prayers seem unanswered,
When disappointment and confusion make us weary.
And still?
You invite relationship.
Rather than force.
Teach us to remain with you in honesty.
Teach us that faith doesn't require pretending certainty that we don't possess.
Teach us to stay open,
Even in mystery.
When we're tempted to withdraw into numbness or despair,
Hold us gently.
When we feel disappointed or exhausted,
Renew our hearts quietly.
When we can't see clearly,
Help us continue walking in trust.
And may we slowly discover that abiding with you isn't always about understanding,
But about continuing to return to your presence again.
And again.
For you remain the one who speaks words of life to the deepest parts of our soul.
And may those words,
Grace,
Peace and love be with us and remain with us today and every day.
Until next time,
Friends.
God's peace be with you.
