Saturday – Third Week of Easter

Gospel –John 6:60-69

Hand in Hand

Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Ginger’s Mom passed away Tuesday morning.  It was a peaceful moment; Ginger was holding her hand and caressing her cheek.  But it was also heart-wrenching and full of tears, a moment without words, only raw emotion as we watched Mom journey home to the Father like a shooting star.

We have all faced moments like this in our lives.  Maybe it was Mom and Dad sitting us down to hit us with the hard truth, the stark reality of life.  Maybe we messed up and now it was time to come clean and face the punishment.  Maybe it was having to deal with a harsh reality: the breakup of a family or a relationship, or the boss sitting us down for a performance review that does not go well. And maybe it was that Tuesday morning   

Many of Jesus’ disciples, in today’s Gospel, also have a difficult time.  Jesus is offering them His Body and Blood; He is offering them eternal life.  And they can’t accept it; they refuse to believe it.  In fact, many of His disciples walk away and go back to their former lives.  Instead of moving forward in life and in faith, they choose to go back to the way things used to be.  They turn their backs on life eternal and head home.

So Jesus asks the Apostles whether they are going to leave as well. And Peter answers with a stunning profession of faith.  Where else should we go?  You have the words of eternal life!  We know that you are the Holy One of God! 

In moments of trial and testing, when life hits us with harsh reality, Jesus asks us the same question!  Are you going to leave Me?  Are you going to turn your back on Me?  Or will you continue to follow Me?  Will you walk with Me in good times and in sad?  Will you love others as I have loved you?  Will you care for others as I have cared for you?

When parents grow old, let them grow old with the same love that they let you grow... Let them speak and tell repeated stories with the same patience and interest that they heard yours as a child... Let them overcome, like so many times when they let you win... Let them enjoy their friends just as they let you… Let them enjoy the talks with their grandchildren, because they see you in them... Let them enjoy living among the objects that have accompanied them for a long time, because they suffer when they feel that you tear pieces of this life away... Let them be wrong, like so many times you have been wrong and they didn’t embarrass you by correcting you...

LET THEM LIVE and try to make them happy that last stretch of the path they have left to go; give them your hand, just like they gave you their hand when you started your path in life!

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