After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, “This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?”

To help me to enter into today’s Gospel reading I spent some time reflecting on the first reading (Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18) where Joshua told all the tribes of Israel that they had to choose whom they wished to serve. He knew whom he and his house had chosen. On hearing his decision to serve the Lord, the people answered “We too will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”

In today’s Gospel Jesus taught his doctrine and many of the followers, after hearing all that he had said, decided, “This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?” and later in Verse 66, we read that “many of his disciples stopped going with him.”

These two stories reinforce the fact that throughout our life’s journey we are constantly faced with choices and it’s up to us to make the decision that will give us life or not.

When we look at Jesus we see a leader who is free enough to allow his followers to make their own decision after listening to his doctrine.

He does not force anyone to accept it; neither does he compromise what he had already taught. He went on to explain “the words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life, but there are some of you who do not believe.”

For St John tells us that Jesus knew from the outset those who did not believe and who it was would betray Him.”

As parents we too teach our children from very early childhood to choose to do the right things. We try our best to inculcate in them positive attitudes and values.

Our hope being that as they grow up they will continue to choose that which is life-giving at all times. Yet we must be aware that they will encounter other doctrines that will be contrary too what they have been taught.

We are bombarded on all sides, through all forms of the mass media, by the doctrines of this world that contradict the doctrines of the gospel.To name a few

• discrimination vs acceptance
• unforgiveness vs reconciliation
• violence vs non-violence
• war vs peace
• safe-sex vs abstinence
• same-sex relationships vs male/female relationships
• shacking up  vs marriage
• abortion vs life
• war vs peace
• lies, half-truths and innuendos vs truth

Do we as followers of Jesus regard the gospel values as “intolerable language” and as a result make the decision to follow the crowd or do we speak up as Peter did on behalf of the Twelve – although we know that at some time we too will do like Judas and betray some of the very values we have chosen – and ask, “Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life.”

I am sure that each one of us can recall moments in our life when we were faced with extremely difficult situations, when we had to make a decision that would have meant going with the twelve rather than with the majority. What freedom did we experience!  Couldn’t we have joined with Peter in exclaiming, “We believe, we know that you are the Holy One of God”!

By then what was our reaction to those who did not join us in our decision? Did we reject them? Did we become self-righteous? Or did we compromise our values to become accepted by them again?

When we are in a leadership position do we act as Jesus did with his followers and give them the space to make their choices, trusting that the Father will draw them to Him as he said, “no one can come to me unless the Father draws him.”

Father, we thank you for Jesus who has taught us by example to accept the decisions that people make, knowing that we cannot force anyone to come to us in a relationship or to join us in a movement.
We thank you, Lord, for our Church leaders and those in authority who continue to proclaim the gospel values that give life for they know that the flesh has nothing to offer.
We ask your forgiveness Lord for those times when we find your values to be intolerable language and we choose to act contrarily or we choose to betray you.
Forgive us Lord, for the times when we support the values that do not give life by neglecting to stand up against all kinds of injustice, discrimination, violence, child abuse, and lawlessness that have gripped our society.
Send us leaders, Lord, like Jesus who would pass on the message of eternal life so that we will believe and know you are the Holy One of God.
Guide our youths and young adults today, Lord, that they will accept your doctrine and stand up for their values even when their companions stop going along with them in their journey to eternal life.

Gospel Meditations for August are by Miriam Mannette. Miriam is a retired primary school teacher and Confirmation catechist. She and her husband Tony are members of the Santa Rosa, Arima parish community.