The Gospel According to John
– 2018.08.26
Faith and The Way
The
Gospel reading for today gives us an example of just where the early church
went astray, beginning to deviate from the teaching of Jesus, and the lived
experience of the way he taught.
In
the final paragraph we are given the thoughts of saint Peter, who would have us
believe that he follows Jesus because Jesus has the secret message of eternal
life, as if this were the purpose of the gospel as if believing that Jesus is
the “Holy One of God” is the key to receiving the gift of eternal life.
In
the fourth paragraph we are asked to believe that God, the Father parcels out
access to Jesus, to the truth, to the reality of life everlasting, allowing
some to come to it while refusing others.
None
of this scheme is true.
The
gospel is this; God loves you, and you are saved. You are not saved for
anything that you have done, you did not earn it, you are saved because God
loves you/
The
promise of salvation is not that you will be spared from suffering and torment
in hell, or that when you are judged God will forgive you.
God
has already forgiven you. You are already saved.
God
has prepared you, and everyone for eternal life. Believe it! Let the goodness
of the promise flow through you now, and start living this life as if it were
true.
We
are not called to believe in the idea that Jesus is this or that, the Holy One
of God, we are called to act on the principles of his faith, to live lives of
charity and service to each other.
Who
shall we go to?
You
are the Holy One of God
After
hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, ‘This is intolerable
language. How could anyone accept it?’
Jesus
was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this
upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?
‘It
is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have
spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
‘But
there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset those
who did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, ‘This is
why I told you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him.’
After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.
Then
Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon
Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal
life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’
21st Sunday in
Ordinary Time
