"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?'” Jn 6:67
When friends are not who we thought them to be, especially if they speak poorly of us, we are disappointed and disillusioned. We might even be tempted to end our friendship, or at the very least step away from it for a while. Shock does that to us. Unsure of someone else, we also wonder how we missed something important about them. Were we so needy that we failed to realize that our relationship was not as secure or as deep as we imagined?
John's gospel reminds us that not all of Jesus' disciples remained true to him. Confused by his teaching about his body being real food and upset by his failure to be they Messiah they wanted and expected, more than a few abandoned him and his teaching, but Jesus did not reject them or us. Although the Lord wonders aloud whether any of the apostles also want to leave, the apostles, led by Peter, remain faithful even though they do not understand everything the Lord is teaching.
Discipleship, like friendship, is built not on completely understanding the other, but on trusting that the relationship is authentic and rooted in God's love and the truth of the Gospel. Because we know that God is faithful, we can trust that whatever God teaches is for our good and glory of God. Trusting God is the root of our faith and faithfulness.
Today, ask not for understanding but acceptance.
How do you manage the loss of a friendship?
we may leave the "church" but the church never leaves us!
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