Spirit and Life

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, 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.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

- John 6:60-71

Jesus words' of yesterday's passage, regarding his flesh and blood, are too hard for seemingly many of his followers. Finally, the sword Jesus said he would bring has begun to fall. His words are too difficult, his teachings too extreme. And so we are told that many of his followers leave him over the words in which he referred to his own flesh and blood as the food that will give life.

Here he tells us that it is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. This signifies to me the nature of the eucharistic gift he was referring to in the "hard saying." Jesus is speaking of spiritual flesh and blood, and referring to himself in these terms. So, in this continuation of his teachings, Jesus is giving us further understanding of his eucharistic gift, revealing more about the nature of these teachings and his words: The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Moreover, he adds: Among you there are some who do not believe. For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father. So we have come to a place where Jesus validates his teachings from the beginning, when he began to teach that he was from the Father, and that those who know the Father would know him. At this point, we enter into mystery that is at a depth for me mind-boggling. It's something I do not understand, unless I think of such a choice in conjunction with a depth within ourselves beyond our awareness. Certainly we can say that Jesus is once more affirming that his own judgment is subject to that of the Father's in the first place. I think we can also accept that Jesus is saying clearly that he can compel no one to faith - that this is beyond his control, and not subject to his own desires.

In the epistle reading of today (from Romans), Paul speaks of this choice by the Father:

So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomsoever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomsoever he chooses.

At this level of the nature of choice, I come up against that (for me) endless mystery of the omnipotence of the Father. Do these words mean that my faith has nothing to do with my own choice, but rather that the Father has chosen for me that I will have faith? I cannot know the mind of God, so this is a judgment I cannot make for myself. But at some level, we are told that the children of God's promise are those children of faith that remain true. This is a separation for all time from works, and a depth of affirmation about spirit and the internal life of the heart being the place where faith and the promise hold. All I can conclude is that the Father is at work deep within us, in that place of the promise, and as we are drawn by the Father so we are drawn to Christ. This nature of choice and faith is still a deep mystery to me, but one on which I would like to ponder.