READINGS:   Joshua 24: 1-2. 15-17. 18   /   Psalm 34: 2-3. 16-23   /   Ephesians 5: 21-32   /   JOHN 6: 60-69

HIS WORD… DOES THIS SHOCK YOU?… THE WORDS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE. BUT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU WHO DO NOT BELIEVE… FOR THIS REASON I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS IT IS GRANTED BY MY FATHER… DO YOU ALSO WANT TO LEAVE?

my words…  Welcome to the fifth and final episode of the Bread of Life Discourse in John’s gospel Chapter Six. Next Sunday, the liturgical gospel reading will go back to the gospel of St. Mark until the end of the liturgical year, Cycle B.

In this last episode, after all the doubts and misunderstandings, the people had to DECIDE: whether to stay away from Jesus and leave His company or to remain and be faithful. According to the narrative, “many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him” (Jn 6:66); but Peter and the rest of the 12 declared, “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” (Jn 6:68-69). And so the 12 Apostles declared and manifested their fidelity to Jesus, and thereby in the near future ministry of Jesus they were made the strongest pillars and foundation of the Church that Jesus Christ Himself erected.

A group of expert Protestant Evangelists was asked to extensively STUDY more the Holy Bible. And after their thorough studies of the WORD OF GOD, they found out that the true Church founded by Jesus Christ is no other than the One, Holy, CATHOLIC, and Apostolic CHURCH. As a consequence of their findings and reflections, a number of them returned to the Catholic Fold; and among them are Dr. Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Steve Ray, Tim Collins, just to name a few… Truly, Jesus has the WORDS of eternal life!

Brothers and Sisters, even in our times, in our generations, there are people who are leaving the Catholic Church because they misunderstood the doctrines of the sacraments, and the teachings of the Church. Others are just simply being manipulated of their meager understanding and faith and thereby misled by false preachers. Others are also scandalized by the lifestyles and attitudes of the leaders of the Church. To whom shall we go? The Pope, the Cardinals, the Archbishops, the Bishops, the Priests, and the Deacons cannot be without JESUS. It should always be and only JESUS as the sole foundation of our faith and our fidelity should be to HIM alone. With Jesus we can stand firm in our faith and beliefs. Church leaders can commit mistake; Jesus cannot. He is the Son of the Perfect God. With our proper and correct understanding on Jesus and His Church, there is no way of leaving or abandoning Him.

That is why Jesus has given us and has left for us His very own Body and Blood in order for us to forever remember Him as the main reason of our believing; for like the 12, we too have come to believe that Jesus has the WORDS of Eternal Life! To whom shall we go? Only to Jesus!

MAY THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS BRING US TO EVERLASTING LIFE… (By Fr. Julius C. Lupot)