“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.
Saint John's gospel presents a relentlessly demanding Jesus, one who drives away friends and foes alike. They refuse to believe in him; they must turn away from him. There is no middle ground, no halfway, no compromise.
And yet he also promises unimaginably wonderful blessings. He offers "spirit and life."
His spirit and life are framed by this refusal to compromise. Which of us hasn't compromised with our aspirations? If we set out to do good we also wanted to do well; and found that our good works were tainted by personal success. We got by; we did "...okay."
Something's lost and something's gained; but the gains only balance the losses. In the end we wondered if it cost too much. Or perhaps we weren't willing to pay the price.
I knew a priest several years ago, God rest his soul, who had done marvelous work during his long career. He created several institutions which still serve the Church years after his death. But I heard him wonder why he had accomplished so little. I had no answer for his perplexity, except to point out I had accomplished far less.
The promise of Jesus is spirit and life, a wholeness which completes our feeble efforts, an undeserved and unearned satisfaction. There is nothing we can do to achieve this; we can only receive it by faith in him.
"Will you also leave?" he asks us.
Where could we go?
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.