I often imagine myself being in the crowd of people following Jesus. This section of the chapter, especially verse 25, always makes me laugh. Jesus knows they are following Him seeking more bread but they act like this meeting is simply coincidence. “Rabbi, when did you get here” in my mind is like saying, “whoa, Jesus, what a coincidence all 5000 of us running into you here on the other side of the sea. We were coming over here for…um…well, bread, actually…”
If I were in the crowd and someone from the Tiberias Times asked me why I was following this man and His disciples, I wonder what my answer would be. Would it be because He filled my belly? Because everyone else is following Him? Because I want to be with the “in” crowd or it helps my business prospects? Because I am curious and want to see what other things He might do? Because I think He may have worked a miracle? Because He may be a prophet? Because I believe that He has the words of eternal life? Because He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God?
If someone from the USA Today were to ask me why I am following this Jesus and the successors of His apostles, what would my answer be? What would your answer be?
Let us pray that more often we imitate Peter who, although He didn’t understand all that Jesus was teaching, had enough sense to say, “To whom shall we go? Only you have the words of eternal life.”(v.68) Let us also pray for the grace to not be like those who “returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.” (v.66)
FROM THE SAINTS – “The prayer of the Christian is never a monologue.” – Saint Josemaria Escriva – The Way #114
James M. Hahn, Author 