Many who had followed Jesus said among themselves, "This teaching is very hard to accept."
Because of his teaching many turned away from him and no longer followed him. Jesus then said to the twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe, and we know that you are the Holy One of God."John 6: 60-69
Peter spoke for all believers when he professed his faith in Jesus as the Holy One of God. He had no doubts about following Jesus, because he had heard the words of eternal life, and he knew he would never find anything better.
What were these words of eternal life, about which Peter and the apostles were so sure, even though many others who heard them found them too hard to accept?
Jesus came from his Father to reveal to us that we are all children of God. He taught us that we belong to God, and apart from God we are nothing. He taught us that God created us for no other reason than to love us. He taught us that nothing we do will ever cause God to stop loving us. When we turn away from God, he loves us just the same. And as often as we return to him, he welcomes us back to his love.
But this is not as easy a teaching as it seems. For to receive God's love I must first empty myself of everything else. I must stop looking at myself as the center of things and look to God as the center. I must give up all my wishes and desires and give myself over entirely to doing his will. I must in fact die to myself so that God can make me a new spiritual creation open to his love.
This is the only truth that will fulfill our humanity and lead us to eternal life. But it is a truth that is hard to accept. It asks us to give up everything and trust God to make us into something better. It asks us to live by faith.
The world offers many alternatives to this truth, and sooner or later we will try most of them. But after we have looked everywhere else and found no peace, may we turn back to the Lord. Perhaps then we will finally understand that we have nowhere else to go, for he alone gives eternal life.
God our Father, you sent your Son into the world to give us words of eternal life. He revealed to us that nothing can separate us from your love. We give you thanks for calling us into being and giving us life so that we can share in your love for all eternity. Strengthen us in faith that we may do your will in all things and be worthy of the gift of your love.