Shocked! Jesus causes scandal!

Saturday in the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Acts 9:31-42, Jn 6:60-69

We all know that one of the main differences between the Gospel of John and the other three Synoptic Gospels, Matthew Mark and Luke, is that John does not have the institution narrative as th other gospels do, in the account of the Last Supper.

John is more of a theologian. Therefore his main interest is not to say how things happened exactly, as the other three evangelists do, but rather to offer a theological and spiritual reflection of the events that happened.

Therefore, in the Last Supper account, in chapter of the Gospel of John, we read about the meaning of the Eucharist. It is the account we read on Holy Thursday, the washing of the feet. After all, the washing of the feet is the perfect gesture to explain what the Eucharist is. In his removing his garment and putting the apron around his waist, in kneeling down at the feet of his disciples and pouring water over their dirty feet, we see Jesus who sheds his dignity proper to him as God and humbly clothes himself with humanity. We see him shedding his blood for us that we may be cleansed from our sins. Then he says, "As I have done to you, so must you do to one another."

The parallelisms with the Eucharist are, I think, quite clear.

John then places his reflections on the Eucharist after the sign of the multiplication of loaves, which is the sixth chapter which we have been reading throughout this week. Here we find further reflections on the Eucharist.

But I want to draw attention to a particular point that forms the focus of today's Gospel reading: the people are shocked and scandalised. "These words about Jesus giving himself to be eaten by us are too hard. We cannot accept this!"

We see a parallelism with the Last Supper. Peter too complains about Jesus washing his feet. If this is what is expected of our Master, then how much more is expected of us?

If our Master gives his life for us, how much more must we give our life to God and to each other?

There is no compromise in this. In many other things Jesus is quite lenient: the Sabbath, the traditions and laws of their ancestors. But on this one he is not ready to make any compromises. If you are not ready to give your life then you have no life in you at all in the first place.

Peter senses this. "Lord, you have the words of everlasting life!"

May we have the ability to sense this truth as Peter had and may we have the courage to give our lives for one another.