The Gospel of John 6 is a difficult teaching. It is the Source and Summit of the Catholic Faith. It is a dividing line between Protestantism and Catholicism.
Each convert from Protestantism must wrestle with this passage. Should it be taken literally? Or should it be considered merely a metaphor?
My epiphany - my moment of Truth - came in the summer of 2004, when I compared John 6 to Our Lord's parables. In Luke 8, we read . . .
"A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell on the edge of the path and was trampled on; and the birds of the air ate it up. Some seed fell on rock, and when it came up it withered away, having no moisture. Some seed fell amongst thorns and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some seed fell into rich soil and grew and produced its crop a hundredfold." Saying this he cried, "Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!"
His disciples asked him what this parable might mean, and he said, "The mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to you; for the rest there are only parables, so that
they may see but not perceive, listen but not understand." - and Our Lord went on to clearly explain to His disciples what the parable means -- who is the sower, who is the seed, what circumstances are like the rock, the bird, the trampled path. Everything is made clear to the disciples. The crowds, however, are left with only metaphors.
His disciples asked him what this parable might mean, and he said, "The mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to you; for the rest there are only parables, so that
they may see but not perceive, listen but not understand." - and Our Lord went on to clearly explain to His disciples what the parable means -- who is the sower, who is the seed, what circumstances are like the rock, the bird, the trampled path. Everything is made clear to the disciples. The crowds, however, are left with only metaphors.
Clearly, Jesus loved to tell stories and to use metaphorical language. But I found it interesting that he tells His disciples, for you, I make myself clear. The stories are for the crowds. You are different. "The mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed to you." That is what He says, exactly.
In John 6, Our Lord is speaking to His disciples - not the crowds. We know from Luke 8, when He speaks to the disciples, He says what He means and means what He says. The disciples question Him, wanting Him to say, oh I'm back to telling stories. It's just a parable. A metaphor. But when challenged, Jesus holds firm. No, my food is real food. My blood is real drink. Unless you eat of my Flesh and drink of my Blood, there can be no life in you. On that day, many of His disciples left Him. In fact, only 12 remained.
From John 6--
I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
Simon Peter answered him, "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."
Simon Peter answered him, "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."
John 6 remains the Source and Summit of the faith. It also continues to be a dividing line. Each convert must wrestle with this teaching. Only the one who can say, as Peter did - I'm not sure I quite know how it happens, but I take your word for it . . . you have the words of eternal life . . . and though this is a hard teaching, I have come to believe and I am even convinced that you are the Holy One of God. If You say that I must eat Your Flesh and drink Your Blood or I will not have eternal life, then I say, "Amen." I bow. And I receive Our Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ.
Skeptics will say that the disciples often misunderstood Jesus, that after He arose and ascended, they understood and even documented in Sacred Scripture what Jesus really meant by certain words and phrases. So much became clear. So that's what He meant by . . .
Skeptics will say that this teaching falls into that category. But here's the thing. Here's the thing I realized after hunting and hunting for the passage that says the disciples realized that He didn't really mean they had to eat His Flesh and He didn't really mean they had to drink His Blood -- On the contrary, they never do that with this Teaching! They never have an aha-moment. They never smile and say, oh, gotcha, you didn't really mean we had to eat and drink. Oh, No! They continue to believe in and teach that the Eucharist really is Jesus. It really is His Body and His Blood.
And the writings by the men who came after them also held to the teaching on the Real Presence.
And they remain firm in this teaching to this day.
For this reason, St. Paul writes in his First Letter to the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 11:27-29 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
Thanks Denise. I really appreciate your meditations, they are excellent.
ReplyDeleteFrank