Jesus Wants Me to be a Cannibal

OK...not really. But, isn't this passage (John 6:25-71) interesting. Many commentaries have debated whether Jesus is looking ahead to the Eucharist. I want to instead focus on Peter's question, "to whom shall we go?" We can get lost in the debate over what exactly Jesus means by eating his flesh and drinking his blood. What is evident is that some people could not handle this hard teaching of Jesus. Whatever the symbolism or mysterious message, it is a difficult calling and many of Jesus' followers leave. But, Peter and the 12 have been with Jesus, they have just witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 (which leads us into this passage, a point that should be noted) and his walking on water. Because they have been close to Jesus and have tasted and seen the "soul food" he offers, they can think of going no other place.

Sometimes Jesus teachings are hard. If we approach the Bible from a purely cognitive perspective, some of the teachings of Jesus may make us want to walk away. But, Jesus calls us to a deeper experience of His life-giving presence. Read the Bible and pray as a means to encounter the living God. Jesus, the experience of Jesus and following His way, is the bread of life. Eat of it and you will never go hungry! Like Peter realized, where else would you go when you have experienced this manna from heaven.