John 6:41-51
“It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.” (John 6:31)
In our reflection with the Gospel passage this week, we had been encouraged to place ourselves in the scene and imagine this being the very first time we heard these words. In doing so, prayerfully with the Holy Spirit, I felt more confused than ever (or perhaps as much as the disciples had been) in hearing these words; especially if I were only hearing them, not having the chance to read them again or go back to pause with a sentence. In placing myself in the scene, this very confusion though led me to want to push through the crowds, to see for myself and draw closer to the man speaking these words.
Every word and claim is so strange to our senses and sensibilities. I think it is a gift to realize this again and spend some time sitting in this discomfort of realizing that in my own limited thinking and experience, I simply can not understand this teaching. Yet as Jesus Himself teaches in this same passage, “Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.”
Confusion can be the very birthplace and a ripe bed for the Holy Spirit to break ground and plant the seeds of faith. After all, faith “is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). Especially in this time of Eucharistic revival, I think we must boldly ask the Spirit to teach us how to listen anew to the words of scripture and our traditions, asking Him to help us trust and believe what they reveal about the heart of God. We know his heart is so moved by those who push forward, seek Him, and call on Him, so let us pray for more and a new faith, confident He will teach us, and lead us to Jesus.
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