THE TEXT BELOW IS THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE VIDEO COMMENTARY BY FR. FERNANDO ARMELLINI

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A good Sunday to all. 

We often hear bitter reflections on our Church’s current state. The situation is undoubtedly challenging, and the facts are discouraging. Many are leaving; some are disappointed with their expectations; others are drawn to new life opportunities or tempted by the allure of worldly pursuits and secularization. We also hear about the risk of divisions and heretical views. 

What is happening in our Church? How should we respond in this time of crisis? Many argue that we must adapt to the times rather than cling to past beliefs. Some believe we need to modify the teachings of the Gospel to suit the modern world. They contend that certain values and principles once considered important may no longer seem relevant today, so we must accept the way things are. Otherwise, we risk being seen as backward and outdated. This is one possible perspective. 

Others caution against blending our beliefs with those of other religions or with society’s values. They believe it’s essential to remain true to the teachings of the Gospel and to avoid being swayed by the ideas of the surrounding world. They aim to protect the core values and principles of the Gospel from dilution or alteration by outside influences. Today’s Gospel passage offers valuable insight into the ecclesial moment we are experiencing. 

In recent Sundays, we have listened to and reflected on Jesus’ discourse in Capernaum. Let us remember that the Jews challenged Him, and after this discourse, the evangelist notes the confusion and bewilderment, even among the disciples. In Capernaum, something very similar to what we experience today has occurred. Let us listen: 

Many of his disciples who were listening said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it?’ 

Until now, Jesus had been speaking to a large crowd and the Jewish community, who had been skeptical of him from the beginning; they couldn’t accept that he was presenting himself as the embodiment of God’s wisdom. Now, the focus shifts; the disciples, who had shown their allegiance and believed in him, step into the scene. What happens to the disciples now? They realize they have misunderstood. They supported Jesus, thinking they would gain honor, glory, riches, and success from him. But now, they not only do not receive these things, but they are also called to give their lives—not to be served, but to serve others. This was not what they expected; they had different dreams. 

They draw a very bitter conclusion: ‘This word is hard; who can listen to it anymore?’ What is this hard word? The word of Jesus had been problematic from the beginning for the multitudes, the Jews, who immediately rejected the affirmation that Jesus was the successful man, the perfect man. 

The disciples now grasp the seriousness of his words when he says it is necessary to assimilate his flesh (which refers to his entire being, not just his physical body). This represents the divine wisdom of God taking human form as a carpenter, embracing all the weaknesses of our human nature. When they realize this, they call it a challenging concept, ‘scleros’ in Greek. It’s like when someone unexpectedly hits an object and feels pain; they become distracted, but the impact wakes them up because they’ve struck something solid.

Something similar happened to the disciples. Jesus’ speech to them had been gentle and kind until they were asked to decide what they wanted to do with their lives. When Jesus said it was necessary to take in his person, his flesh, they felt the impact and understood what it meant to follow him. The crowds followed him to make him king; they saw him perform wonders and thought he would do miracles and establish the new world himself. They had not understood that he had shown the signs of this new world to be built by them, trusting in his word. 

The crowds had misunderstood; they followed him, believing he had the power to solve their real-life problems through miracles. The disciples, meanwhile, kept nurturing their dreams; essentially, they expected favors for their failing lives, and now they realize it, causing many to turn away. It is too difficult to accept his demand. The disciples have come to understand that eating his flesh means choosing to unite their lives with his. Once this is understood, the only logical conclusion is the one Jesus’ followers in Capernaum reached.  

Let’s try to verify, from our personal experiences, what happened to the followers in Capernaum; we are those followers. The first question: Have we faced the difficulty of fulfilling what he asks of us as we come to Christ? Have we felt the harshness of this blow, this pain, because we have hit something hard? If we think that following Jesus means just some prayer, some good deed, the sign of the cross, a pilgrimage… these are all good things, but they are superficial; if we stop at these actions, we have not yet faced the challenge of the Gospel. The crisis becomes unavoidable when we understand his beatitudes; some realize that they may have developed wrong expectations.  

Let’s ask ourselves: what do we feel when we approach the Eucharistic banquet? Is it a sweet, gentle, intimate experience, or a challenging one? If it feels smooth and intimate, we may not yet fully understand. Look at that bread—that is Christ—what does that bread, which is him, say to you? He says to you: ‘I have become bread, I have given all of myself, I have offered myself to you as food for life, I have made myself a servant; then, do you want to join your life to mine? Do you also want to give your life to your brother or sister, even if he or she has hurt you but now needs you? Are you willing to give your life for them?’

If you understand this, you recognize that your decision is difficult; if this request causes you pain, you know what the Eucharist is. You approach the Eucharist without fruit if you don’t feel this difficulty. 

Then, there is another check many Christians still need to make. They resemble the crowds in Capernaum, those who live in ambiguity. They expect Jesus to do things he never promised and won’t do. They come to Jesus thinking they’ll gain some benefit; he will rescue them from life’s hardships, which often include sickness, pain, and trials. When they pray to Jesus, they believe they’ll be granted special favors. But when we understand that Jesus encourages us to give rather than receive, to be selfless, and to give everything out of love, we realize how difficult it is for Christians to live up to this teaching.

We might remain unsure if we haven’t yet experienced the disappointment of failing to share the message of hope. Let us now hear how Jesus handles this challenging time for his followers: 

Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, ‘Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ Jesus knew from the beginning those who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my Father.’ 

There was rejection, stiff and determined opposition from the crowds, and both the Jews and Jesus realized that even his disciples denied him; they opposed his proposal. The same verb, ‘gonghuze,’ meaning ‘murmur,’ is used. No, they reject Jesus’ proposal. And Jesus is not surprised; he knows this is the challenge of accepting what it means to become like him: the gift of himself, the sacrifice of oneself for others, even for one’s enemies. Humanly, it is a failure. It is difficult to accept this proposal. 

Here’s the scandal, the obstacle in today’s Gospel. The disciples risk making mistakes in following Jesus; they had not followed him to give life but to receive; they expected something different from him, and Jesus is not surprised. They have experienced, as we have, that obeying the Spirit is always hard. Jesus did not obey orders from above; he followed his identity as the Son of God. 

This identity is the life of the Spirit; the Spirit has been given to us, and it can be difficult to consistently listen to God’s call within us, urging us to love—something Jesus understands. The letter to the Hebrews says that because he has endured testing and personal suffering, he can empathize with and help those going through similar trials. Also, chapter 4 of Hebrews states that Jesus understands our weaknesses because he was tested in every way as we are. The only difference is that he always followed the Spirit, while we often make mistakes. 

Instead of dismissing his request, Jesus underscores it with a mysterious statement. He asks, “What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?” What does he mean? He implies that if you are already struggling to accept my message while I am with you, and you see it embodied in me, what will happen when I return to the Father? Then it will be even harder to follow my plea to give your life. 

This challenge is clear in the community of Rome when Peter writes to the scattered brothers in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, and Cappadocia, who are persecuted for their faith in Christ. It appears at the start of Peter’s first letter. He writes: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

What the disciples are experiencing in Capernaum is a moment of crisis. It is also what we are going through today. A crisis does not necessarily mean a negative event; the word ‘crisis’ comes from ‘akrínei,’ meaning to discern. It is a time when you are called to make a conscious choice after understanding what it involves. From moments of crisis, you can either come out defeated or grow in maturity. 

Where can we find the light and strength to make the right decision in times of crisis? Jesus says this in Capernaum. It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh helps nothing. In these moments of choice, the flesh represents human nature—the person with intelligence and discernment. To make a good judgment, the flesh does not show the right path; the Spirit must. Anyone wanting to understand the Christian message must keep their heart open to the voice of the Son of God within. The voice of the flesh, our intuitive impulses, often leads us in the opposite direction; therefore, it is no surprise that the Gospel is rejected by those who try to reconcile it with human common sense. No. 

Jesus continues: “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” He was referring to the one who was about to betray him. At this point, the mysterious figure of Judas appears, who in John’s Gospel becomes the symbol of the anti-disciple, the one who betrays the Master, refuses his proposal, and wishes to follow his own dreams. The one who does not accept the bread of life Jesus offers condemns himself to ruin as a person and commits spiritual suicide; he can achieve success and glory in this world, but as a person, he destroys himself. 

In reality, Jesus is not referring to the historical Judas but to the Judas within every disciple: not following or listening to what the Gospel suggests, but instead following your instinct and making choices different from what Jesus proposes. Now, we are curious to know how these undecided disciples of Capernaum overcame the crisis that mirrors what we are experiencing today. Let us listen: 

As a result, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer followed him. Jesus then asked the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” 

The outcome was inevitable. Many, after understanding, no longer follow Jesus and withdraw. The conclusion is painful but expected. It’s also what happens in our communities today. These disciples who are leaving are not bad people; they are not traitors; they are consistent individuals who have realized that the Master asks too much of them and don’t feel they can give their consent, so they withdraw. 

Jesus respects freedom because faith doesn’t stem from fleshly reasoning; it is a commitment born of loving Christ. You cannot force people to fall in love. Jesus doesn’t compel people to accept His choice; He doesn’t force anyone to eat His flesh. Those who have gone—then and now—may reconsider later. If the remaining brothers and sisters are true disciples who live a clear testimony of adherence to the Gospel, those who have left might be encouraged to reconsider their choice, especially through the consistent lives of those who continue to follow the Master. 

Now Jesus looks at the Twelve, not the large group of disciples, but the remaining Twelve, and asks them: “Do you also want to leave?” Let’s interpret this phrase carefully; it could be understood as: “Well, if you want to go, then go.” No, Μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν; = Me kai hymeis thélete hypágein? in Greek means: ‘By any chance, do you also want to leave?’ Jesus does not argue; there is nothing more to clarify. The conversation has happened, and only a yes-or-no response is needed. The testing period is over, so either you commit or you walk away. Jesus challenges the Twelve not to force them to leave but to make them realize the true disciple’s choice. 

On behalf of everyone, Simon Peter responds to and accepts Jesus’ proposal. Peter loves Jesus and his words, even though he hasn’t fully understood them yet. Like us, he has felt the difficulty of his invitation; he doesn’t know everything and hasn’t grasped it all yet, but he loves him, trusts him, and gives him his support. 

These disciples of Capernaum—just like us—are imperfect and have not understood everything. Yet they celebrate the Eucharist by giving their allegiance to Jesus, even though they still have many questions and doubts. Peter says: ‘We have believed, trusted in you, and continue to trust in you. “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” Holy One means something different from what we imagined. It begins in their minds and hearts—the attachment to the true face of God, which they have begun to understand through their Master. 

I wish you all a good Sunday and a good week.