Master, To Whom Shall We Go?

Jesus knew from the beginning the ones 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 is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “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.”
John 6: 67-69

It’s hardly news that life is a complicated journey, filled with spins and turns, and what we expect is, so often, not what transpires.

What did the many followers of Jesus expect as the journey wound its way through the land? What questions did they have that were not answered? Were they listening? Were their “blinders” in place so they could not see?

“This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Jesus’ response, basically, is “What did you expect? An echo chamber?”

I believe modern life, supposedly much more difficult than in “the past”, however tagged, is not at all “simpler”..

Our “guardrails” of understood beliefs and customs continue to be swept aside as modern life, with our devices and our personal digital space, allow us to simply disconnect from so many truths.

It is much easier to believe in nothing than to be challenged by anything. Yet, taking the former path likely leads to more questions, and, to great personal pain.

In the personal and physical dark of night, it’s just you, your heartbeat, your mind, and your soul.

Where are you going in that darkness? Who is pointing the way?

In our most “alone” times, when we ask ourselves “to whom shall we go?”, in our heart, we know, and we have the opportunity to say “yes” to following Our Lord.

It’s a personal, soulful decision. If someone you know is seeking right now, you know what to do.