There’s an old saying: when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
But in today’s gospel, it seems like the abundant followers decide to just… get gone.
Not in a ‘let’s work hard to get this thing done’ (as the saying intends) – but more of a “so long, and thanks for all the fish” kind of way.
Now, it would be easy to presume that they are just frustrated that the only thing Jesus is talking about is his bread-ly status.
(Which by the way, ends this week).
But the reason we repeat anything over and over again is when we need to fully and deeply understand something.
And Jesus needs people to understand that he IS the bread of life, the bread from heaven, the nourishment for the soul that people need.
He is offering to them something that is way more than just a hunk of bread; way more than just a meal.
He is offering them an intimate connection – to the divine, and to each other.
It’s interesting to note that the lengthy discourse on Jesus as bread comes to us from John’s Gospel; which is one where the prayer that we know as the Lord’s prayer is not articulated.
But there’s a line in that prayer that Jesus knew well: Give us this day our daily Bread.
Because when Jesus invites folks to include that petition in their prayers, there’s a connection not only to the physical sustenance that we need, but also the emotional fulfillment of connecting with community to acquire and consume that bread, and the psychological aspect of being humble enough to know we need God for that bread; and of course the spiritual maturity of requesting the Bread of Life to fill our souls.
So: back to John, where we don’t get the one line, but an entire narrative arc.
And today, as Jesus finishes his teaching on bread:
The folks admit - it’s tough.
Not, as I said last week, to just grab a meal; but to change a life: for the sake of the Gospel.
This teaching is difficult indeed! As it demands a paradigm shift for how the people see the world, and interact with each other. It’s a truth that will influence every aspect of their lives.
And it continues to BE a difficult teaching for us: to be followers of the Way of Jesus means a challenging road for us all; and not as a temporary segue, but a lifelong journey.
This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?
Well, this is when we see that many of the folks who want to follow Jesus:
Don’t. They don’t accept it.
They instead decide to Close their hearts, to continue doing what they’re doing. It’s been kinda working for them, so why rock the boat?
They are given the option of changing their lives, for the sake of the Gospel… And it;’s too much.
For them, the change is just too much; they can’t disrupt their lives to that effect; and so they turn back.
I think we’ve all known people like that:
folks for whom their faith wavers when things don’t go their way…
folks who maybe come to the pews on Sundays but whose weekday actions may not reflect that teaching…
folks who use church membership as some status symbol…
folks who just really aren’t hearing the teachings of Christ. (Even when he repeats himself!)
Folks who: when we’re honest: sometimes we see in the mirror.
We – all of us – at some point have had moments (and I make no statement on the duration of those moments) when we’ve been sort of… lukewarm about our faith. About putting our faith into action.
We’ve been …good enough…
But not really giving it our all.
It happens. We’re human. Our faith is an ebb and flow kind of thing; our lives are full of ups and downs, our relationships with everyone – including God – can fluctuate.
I heard a word this week: Satisficing:
It’s the combination of the words satisfy and suffice: and it’s the business strategy of intentionally doing just enough to get by (suffice) instead of doing our best to do something well (satisfy).
It’s not uncommon to know that the bare minimum may work in some times and places: some times our school papers or business reports were just good enough, when all we wanted to do was get it done….
Or if we’re comfortable in a workplace – where a review of 3 stars (out of 5)- means doing well enough not to be noticed (and reprimanded) - and doing poorly enough not to be noticed (and given more work).
Satisficing.
That seems to be what the majority of folks are doing in today’s Gospel: they will follow Jesus and hear his teachings – to a point.
But not to the point of emptying themselves of their earthly focus and personal intentions; not to the point of challenging their entire way of life.
So: the going gets tough: and these folks walk away.
It’s interesting to see how Jesus reacts.
He doesn’t get upset, he doesn’t force them to stay, he doesn’t say they owe him for the food, he doesn’t say anything negative.
He instead allows them to depart; in peace.
And he asks the apostles what they wish to do; giving them also the popular exit route, to live a life of “good enough.”
Jesus extends this invitation to us, every day – to consider where we want to be, and if we are able to be followers of Christ in all aspects of our lives. To set aside all that would keep us from the love of God, to commit to the hard work of living our faith, even when the going gets tough.
We are invited to be among those who are fed by the Bread of Heaven,
to feast in our faith. To strengthen our commitment to God. To renew our vocation of loving service.
To recognise that being followers of Jesus IS hard work: but it is good work.
To know that when life gets tough and our faith is challenged, that we will embrace the hard work to the best of our ability, to the glory of God.
We are given the example of so many of the faithful throughout the scriptures; who chose to celebrate their active and living faith:
Like Solomon – declaring “O Lord,… there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart”
Or like Paul, whose encouragement to “be strong in the Lord” will invite us also to pray for each other, “that [we] may declare it boldly, as [we] must speak.”
Or like Simon Peter himself, who summed up the reality of being a follower of Jesus: “to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Because these folks know what it means to live in faith; and despite their own imperfections and challenges, they choose to journey with God.
May we all be so firm in our faith.
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