28 April 2012, 3rd Week of Easter - Saturday; St. Peter Chanel

FIRST READING 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 Psalm 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? or: R. 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: R. 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: R. 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: R. Alleluia. ALLELUIA See John 6:63c, 68c R. Alleluia, alleluia. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life. R. Alleluia, alleluia. GOSPEL John 6:60-69 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? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” REFLECTIONS: Why do some find it easy and others find it hard to accept the claims which Jesus made? Many were attracted to Jesus because he offered them something irresitible – a visible sign of God's mercy and favor which Jesus demonstrated in his wonderful works of healing, deliverance, and the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. Many stumbled, however, when Jesus made claims which only God can make. Jesus' discourse on "eating his flesh and drinking his blood" (see John 6:51-59) which pointed to the Last Supper, caused offence to many of his followers. Jesus claimed to be the bread of heaven, the very life of God given to us as spiritual food to sustain us on our journey to the promised land of heaven. Jesus did not leave any middle ground for his hearers. They must either accept his word as divine or reject it as the claim of an imposter. Even the apostles admitted that this was a "hard saying". This expression meant that it was not just hard to understand, but hard to accept. Jesus pressed the issue with his beloved disciples because he wanted to test their faith and loyalty. Jesus promised his disciples nothing less than the full blessing of eternal life and union with God. Jesus assures his disciples that it is his heavenly Father who invites and who gives the grace to follow even in the "hard sayings". Jesus knew that some would not only reject him and his word, but would do so with hatred and violence, even betraying him to his enemies. Real faith is not blind nor ignorant. It seeks understanding. That is why God gives us the help of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of our mind to understand his truth and wisdom (Ephesians 1:17-18). Jesus offers his life-giving word and Spirit to those who believe in him and who obey his word. Peter’s profession of faith and loyalty was based on a personal relationship with Jesus. His belief was not simply based on what he knew about Jesus. He believed in Jesus because he knew that when Jesus spoke God spoke – when Jesus acted God acted. Through the gift of faith Peter came to understand that Jesus was the true Messiah, the Holy One of God. He believed in the words which Jesus spoke, because he accepted Jesus as the Son of God and savior of the world. Faith is a personal response to God's revelation of himself to us. Faith is the key to understanding and experiencing God's action and work in our personal lives. Do you believe, as Peter did, that Jesus can change your life because he has the words of everlasting life? Ask the Lord to increase your faith that you may grow in your relationship with him and in the knowledge of his love for you. "Lord Jesus, you have the words of everlasting life. Help me to cast aside doubt and fear and to embrace your word with trust and joy. I surrender my life to you.  Be the Lord and master of my heart, my will, my thoughts and all my actions. May there be nothing which keeps me from you and your love."