“Do you also want to leave?” (John 6:66) … A Sunday Meditation

There are few events in our world that change the course of history.

D-Day was one of them.

On June 6, 1944, … 156,000 Allied Troops stormed the beaches of Normandy. This operation would mark the beginning of the end of World War Two.

For three days, tens of thousands of young men – many barely 18 years of age – fought along the beaches of northern France, eventually pushing their way towards Paris.

Together, they would bring an end to Hitler and Nazi Germany, effectively changing the course of human history.

Though there are many lessons we can learn from their example, there is one, in particular, that applies to us today: Never give up.

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In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples a haunting question, “Do you also want to leave?” (John 6:66).

We might say, “Do you also want to give up?”

In a single day, Jesus’ swelling community of believers drops from 5,000 to 12, all because of his teachings.

We are now at the end of John’s Bread of Life discourse, in which Jesus describes himselfas the Bread of Life. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood,” he says, “has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (John 6:54).

Scandalized by this idea of consuming Christ’s flesh, many walk away in disbelief.

4,988 disciples to be exact.

***

A similar phenomenon is happening in our Church today. People are leaving in droves.

But what makes our situation starkly different from the Gospel is the fact that we’ve not been scandalized by preaching the Truth like Jesus did; rather, we’ve been scandalized by the fact that some of our leaders entrusted with Christ’s authority on earth have abused it.

We’ve all seen the news. It’s the painful pink elephant in the room.

Though the Church has done great good, and many Saints have arisen in our midst, the Church has also mismanaged evil for decades, allowing wolves in sheepskin to breathe and operate in our midst.

And now we’re left feeling betrayed, angry, hurt, and confused.

So the question Jesus asked his disciples rings hauntingly true and relevant in our own hearts today: “Do we also want to leave?” (John 6:66).

***

While I hope – and pray – that all of us will stay, we must be clear about why. What we are fighting for?

Jesus commanded us – his Church– to, “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). This is our mission. This is why the Church exists.

We must remember that.

We have Good News to share with the world! Jesus died and was raised from the dead! And he promises to raise all of us up who have believed in him.

Even more, it is here – and only here – that we can receive his resurrected Body in the Eucharist.

We cannot allow the sins of others to distract us from this truth. Jesus even warned us about this.

In his own words, he says, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to that person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea” (Luke 17:1-2).

Jesus is aware that the weeds are growing with the wheat, even in his own Church. We who have been faithful, however, we who have hoped and believed in his message, will be saved.

But woe to those who’ve caused us scandal.

***

Remember what happened on Omaha beach – history was forever changed.

Tens of thousands of young soldiers fought together to bring an end to World War Two. But for those who survived those initial days in Normandy, there was still another year of fighting to go.

Hitler wasn’t going down easily.

But our brothers never gave up. They fought until they won.

Similarly, there’s a long way for us to go before our Church is rid entirely of scandal.

But we cannot give up; we must continue to pray and push for reform. In particular, we must ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of wisdom to know what practical changes are needed in order for us to be most effective, and for the courage to make those changes happen.

***

“Do you also want to leave?”

I hope and pray not. But if we choose to stay, then we must move forward together as a community of faith, united in our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

In the words of Peter, whose own faith was challenged, “Lord, to whom shall we go; you have the words of everlasting life” (John 6:68).