Saturday, 3rd week of Easter
DAILY GOSPEL COMMENTARY:
“LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE”
(Jn 6:60-69).
READING I
Acts 9:31–42
The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” He got up at once. And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated is Dorcas). She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
Or: Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the Lord
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
Or: Alleluia.
My vows to the Lord I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
Or: Alleluia.
O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
Or: Alleluia.
ALLELUIA
Your words, Lord, are spirit and life; you have words of eternal life.
Gospel of Saturday, 3rd week of Easter.
Jn 6:60-69
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that should betray him. 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, “Will you also go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
GOSPEL COMMENTARY from the Navarre Bible, Commentary to the Gospel of St. John (with permission)
60-62 60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?
- Many of his listeners find the eucharistic mystery completely incomprehensible. Jesus Christ requires his disciples to accept his words because it is he who has spoken them. That is what the supernatural act of faith involves — that act “whereby, inspired and assisted by the grace of God, we believe that the things which he has revealed are true; not because of the intrinsic truth of the things, viewed by the natural light of reason, but because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, and who can neither be deceived nor deceive” (Vatican 1, Dei Filius, chap. 3).
- As on other occasions, Jesus speaks about future events to help his disciples believe: “I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe” (Jn 14:29).
63 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life
- Jesus says that we cannot accept this mystery if we think of it in too human a way, in other words, by just seeking to indulge our senses or having too earthbound a view of things.
- Only someone who listens to his words and receives them as God’s revelation, which is “spirit and life”, is in a position to accept them.
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.
- The promise of the Eucharist, which caused arguments (v. 52) among Christ’s hearers at Capernaum and scandalized some of them (v. 61), led many people to give up following him.
- Jesus had outlined a wonderful and salvific truth, but those disciples closed themselves to divine grace; they were not ready to accept anything which went beyond their very limited horizons.
- The mystery of the Eucharist does call for a special act of faith. St John Chrysostom therefore advised Christians:
- “Let us in everything believe God, and gainsay him in nothing, though what is said be contrary to our thoughts and senses… Let us act likewise in respect to the [eucharistic] mysteries, not looking at the things set before us, but keeping in mind his words. For his word cannot deceive” (St John Chrysostom, Horn. on St Matthew, 82).
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life;
- Simon Peter expresses the feelings of the Apostles who, through staying loyal to Jesus, are getting to know him much better and becoming more closely involved with him:
- “Seek Jesus; endeavouring to acquire a deep personal faith that will inform and direct your whole life. But, above all, let it be your commitment and your programme to love Jesus, with a sincere, authentic and personal love. He must be your friend and your support along the path of life. He alone has words of eternal life” (St. John Paul II, Address to Students in Guadalajara, 30 January 1979).
69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
- “The Holy One of God”: this is what the original text must have said, according to most of the Greek codexes and the most important early translations.
- “The Holy One” is one of the expressions which designate the Messiah (cf. Mk 1:24; Lk 1:35; 4:34; Acts 2:27; Ps 16:10), or God himself (cf. Is 6:3; 43:15; 1 Pet 1:15; 1 Jn 2:20; etc.).
- The rendering “the Christ, the Son of God” found in some translations, including the Vulgate, is supported by less important Greek manuscripts, and would seem to be an explanation of the messianic significance of the original phrase.
VIDEO REFLECTION TOPIC: DO YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING THE WORD OF GOD?
In today’s gospel reading, many of those who were listening to Jesus were unable to understand His teachings, especially, Jesus’ discourse on eating His flesh and drinking His blood. People are more predisposed to believe when they witness a physical manifestation of His power ⏤ healing of the sick, raising of the dead, deliverance from demons, miracle of the multiplication of the bread. One by one, Jesus’ disciples desert Him for they could not understand His teaching of the Eucharist. It takes profound faith to embrace this.
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