Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life: Commentary by Fr. Jorge Miró

Fr. Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on the Gospel of this Sunday, August 25, 2024, entitled “Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.”

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The Gospel presents us with the reaction of the disciples to the discourse on the bread of life that Jesus gave in the synagogue of Capernaum, after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.

With this discourse Jesus wants to provoke a decision in his disciples. Then and now. He wants you to ask yourself what your true motivations are for following Jesus: many of Jesus’ disciples, upon hearing him, said: This way of speaking is hard, who can listen to it? From then on, many of his disciples turned back and did not go with him again.

Because the temptation of idolatry always lurks in man.

And if the most dangerous of all idolatries is to believe that you are God, that you give yourself life, that you are the master of good and evil… The second is no less dangerous: to make for yourself a Jesus Christ to suit your desires, a Jesus Christ who does your will.

This is the mystery and the drama of man’s freedom.

And that is why today, the words of Joshua also resonate strongly: choose today whom you want to serve: whether the gods your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites…; for us for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Or those of Jesus, in the Gospel: Do you also want to go away?

Some of the disciples do not accept his words, they withdraw, they abandon him. By this they indicate that they were with him, but in truth they were not authentic disciples, but rather they remain men of this world, who judge things from a human perspective, who do not recognize the power of God, the strength of the Spirit.

Others, the least, recognize that the words of Jesus announce and give eternal life. They accept Him. They become definitively disciples. Their adherence to Jesus Christ is a gift from the Father. He has given them Jesus. He has chosen them. They have accepted the choice. Faith reveals Jesus to them. Faith saves them.

It is not the Gospel that has to be modernized according to the mentality of the world. It is we – you and I – who must be converted every day.

You, too, have to choose between God or the idols of this world. Who do you choose?

Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit so that, like Peter, you can say: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life; we believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.

Let yourself be surprised by Jesus! Let yourself be carried away by his Spirit! Only Jesus has words of eternal life.

Come, Holy Spirit!

Happy Sunday, happy Eucharist!