Choosing to stay with Christ

In today’s Gospel, we witness a moment of crisis among Jesus’ disciples. After hearing Jesus’ teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, many disciples find His words hard to accept. They murmur, saying, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” This moment of discomfort reveals a significant truth about following Jesus: the path of discipleship is not always easy, and the teachings of Christ often challenge our understanding and comfort zones.

Jesus does not back down or soften His message to make it more palatable. Instead, He confronts them with the reality of what it means to follow Him, fully aware that some will choose to walk away. This scene is a powerful reminder that the call to discipleship involves embracing the full message of Christ, even when it is difficult to comprehend or live out.

The Gospel presents us with a moment of decision. When faced with the challenging teachings of Jesus, we must decide whether we will stay with Him or turn away. The disciples’ reaction represents a broader truth about the human condition: we are free to choose our response to God’s call.

For those who found Jesus’ words too difficult, the decision was to leave. But for the Twelve, led by Peter, the decision was to stay. Peter’s response, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” is a profound expression of faith. It acknowledges that while they may not fully understand everything Jesus says, they trust that He is the source of eternal life. This decision to stay with Jesus, despite the difficulties, is at the heart of true discipleship.