Gospel: Jn 6:55,60,69
At that time, Jesus said to the Jews: “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” When they heard his words, many of his disciples said: “This is a hard saying. Who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them: “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe, and who would betray him. And he said: “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” From that time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Then Jesus said to the Twelve: “Do you also want to go away?” Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life, and we believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Fruit: Renew my faith in Christ, my commitment to be faithful to him in both easy and difficult moments of my life.

Guidelines for reflection:
The response of Saint Peter and his entire person are a source of comfort and teaching. He learns to renounce the world to choose true values, to preserve the presence of God in the world. God chooses the path of transforming hearts through suffering and humility.

1. The experience of the apostles
Long ago, the Master had said to John and James, during their first encounter by the lake: Come and see. It was the answer to their search for a true Teacher, for meaning in their lives. They came to know that rabbi through the advice of John the Baptist, and he seduced them so much that they invited their brothers to meet him. They spent that afternoon with Him, the next day, and the following week… Now, months later, they have experienced the Lord so profoundly that they no longer want to leave him. They do not understand the mystery of the Eucharist; this is normal, as we are facing one of God’s great mysteries. They have seen many around them abandon the Master. But their experience gives them certainty that they are on the right path, following the one who has words of eternal life.

2. My personal experience
Perhaps I have also had a similar experience. Through a series of coincidences, I met Christ, I encountered the Regnum Christi. A coincidence (or rather providence) led me to experience the greatness of God, of the Christian faith, of the Church. Or maybe Christ was guiding me toward Him through the gentle and delicate path of my family, of a Catholic upbringing, of parents who taught me to pray from a young age… The fact is, I have had a personal experience of Christ, I have experienced his greatness, his love, the fullness he gives to my heart. In Him, I have found peace, deep joy, even amid suffering and difficulties. It is an indelible experience, which has left its mark on my heart, and not even sin or my moments of lack of generosity can erase it.

3. Also, do you want to leave?
But being with Christ can also involve difficult moments. It seems that everything around us becomes cloudy: we face serious problems in our family, lose our job, or fall ill… The horizon of our life fills with dark clouds, even doubts of faith. The moment comes to choose: do you also want to abandon me? Do you, in the face of this difficulty, prefer to only rely on human securities and stop trusting in me? This is what happened to the apostles, and to many followers of Jesus when they heard him preach about the Eucharist. The Master is talking about eating his flesh, drinking his blood… How is this possible? They do not understand, they are scandalized, these words are hard; who can hear them? And many abandon him. Some because they do not understand; others because they are afraid; some because they are carried away by the general abandonment. And Jesus asks his friends: do you also want to go away? In those moments, like the apostles, we must cry out more strongly: Lord, only you have words of eternal life; only in you can I find the friend who never fails and remains faithful, through time and eternity, even if I forget you.

Purpose: I will pray to God for those who are going through a difficult time in their faith journey.