Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?”From today’s Gospel, John 6:60-69
I can think of countless, recent examples of being shocked. There were outcomes I didn’t anticipate. Timing that couldn’t have been more unexpected. Responses that were hard to bear.
As someone who tries to be thoughtful and live intentionally, this is hard. How could I not have considered that news? Why was I blind to this potential outcome? Was I dumb to not expect this?
When I have the benefit of looking back, I realize my astonishment was rooted in not wanting to believe the outcome was possible. It was too hard to deal with the reality of that possibility; I was so sure it would not happen. And yet, it did.
After all the disciples of Jesus had been through and seen at this point in the Gospels, they were still unsure of what do with all that Jesus taught and asked. This was hard. It was uncomfortable. They had outcomes they didn’t expect and responses that were hard to bear.
I hear Jesus responding in his loving humanity and divinity in this moment. I read it as a light-hearted reprimand, a moment when a friend would gently reveal the truth of the experience with a, “Is this so hard to believe, given everything else that has happened?” I see our friend Jesus deliver this comment with a sideways glance and a knowing smile, with a loving “I don’t want to say I told you so, but are you surprised?” type of tone.
—Meghann Naveau
Where in your life have you been shocked? Was it something you realize now you were blind to? How is Jesus helping you see what you knew to be true? How has Jesus prepared you to move forward in the difficult task, even after you see the truth in your reality?