The Difference Between Staying and Leaving: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

During these past 5 weeks, we’ve been reflecting on chapter 6 of St. John’s Gospel, starting with the multiplication of the loaves and the feeding of 5,000. In the last 3 weeks, we’ve focused on our Lord’s dialogue with the Jews regarding the miracle of the manna in the desert and the True Bread from Heaven, which is the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ. This bread which, unlike the manna, gives true and eternal life to him who eats it. What a wonderful gift and a profound expression of our Father’s love for each of us, that He would make Himself so radically available and present to us. Today brings us the conclusion of this extraordinary chapter of St. John’s Gospel and the response of the listeners to this gift of our God.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful!

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together (Acts2:1). 53 days ago, the Church led us, with our Lord and the Apostles, to the Upper Room. Here, they were to witness the depths of God’s love for humanity for Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. (John13:1).  In word and deed, Jesus revealed the love which God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – has for mankind both individually and as a whole, for it was on that sacred night that Christ would institute the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist as the perpetual memorial of HIs One saving Sacrifice, and the Holy Priesthood as the way to make this Sacrifice truly present until the end of time. Both of these Sacraments, in their own way, would bring about the saving Presence of Jesus Christ in the world until Christ’s final return in glory.