Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Today's Mass Readings

Jesus says to us today, “whoever loves me will keep my word.” This is because we can only love what we know, and because we know Christ, we recognize the truth of his words. That doesn’t mean that it is always easy. In chapter 6 of the Gospel of John, Jesus is teaching the people about the reality of the Eucharist. He says to them such things as “I am the bread of life,” and “my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink,” and “the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” After 2,000 years of reflecting on the words, we have come to see the Eucharist in them, and how the Eucharist comes out of Christ’s willing giving of himself, even to death on the cross, and how our participation in the Eucharist lets us share in this life that Christ gives.

However, when Jesus said these words, many people found them difficult, and many left him. Jesus then asked his disciples if they would also leave him, and Peter speaks up: “to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!” We can almost hear the bewilderment Peter felt when he said this, because he also didn’t understand. Nobody really understood until after the Resurrection. But because they trusted Jesus, and knew that he was True, they stuck with him even though at first it was difficult. And gradually they grew in understanding. If we trust like they did, ultimately, we will know the truth also.

Reflection by Fr. Aquinas Keusenkothen, OSB