Daily Catholic Lectio. Sat, 10 May ‘25. Will you also leave?

Daily Catholic Lectio

Sat, 10 May ‘25

Third Week of Easter – Saturday

Acts 9:31–42. John 6:60–69

Will you also leave?

After feeding the five thousand near the Sea of Tiberias with five loaves, Jesus gives a long discourse on the Bread of Life—which reaches its conclusion in today’s Gospel. The same crowd that once exclaimed, “Let us take him and make him king!” now murmurs, “This is hard to accept. Who can keep listening to this?”—and they begin to walk away.

St. Augustine, commenting on this passage, says poignantly: “Oh, pitiable condition of the human race! Those who would have made him king so that their bellies may be filled with bread, walk away from him now that he offers food for their souls!”

Three reflections arise from this Gospel passage:

(a) “This teaching is difficult. Who can listen to it?”

The crowd simply could not grasp what Jesus was saying. Imagine a child asking their father, “What is a ship like?” The father might fold a piece of paper and say, “Here, this is a ship.” And the child is satisfied.

Years later, that same child, now grown, asks again. The father now opens YouTube and types “Inside a passenger ship.” He shows the video.

The son, now mature, laughs at the old paper ship. But if the child had been shown YouTube at five years old, he wouldn’t have understood it.

So, who is at fault here? Not the people—but perhaps Jesus, for offering a “YouTube ship” to people still expecting a paper boat.

This reminds us: Growth is essential.

Are we growing in intellect, health, resources, and—most importantly—spiritual life? If not, the deeper truths of faith will always feel too complex or “hard to accept.”

(b) “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is of no use.”

This is one of John’s signature theological statements. He places in contrast two realms: Spirit vs. Flesh, Life vs. Death.

A choice must be made. The flesh is limited. It cannot take us beyond a certain point. And yet—we cannot experience the Spirit without the flesh either.

Again, we are called to mature spiritually. We must move from physical signs to inner transformation.

(c) “Do you also wish to go away?”

This is Jesus’ question to the Twelve. The crowd has turned away. Jesus turns to his closest disciples. Perhaps he wonders: Will even these walk away without accepting what I offer?

But Peter, representing the Twelve, speaks up with surrender and loyalty:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Peter could say this because he saw with faith—not merely with the eyes.

Faith is not seeing with the eyes open; it is seeing even when the eyes are closed.

Faith begins when physical sight ends.

As Paul says:

“We do not fix our eyes on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor 4:18)

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy