No Pain, No Gain

John 6.60-end

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’


Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Reflection

Anybody who has ever tried to get in shape is familiar with the old saw, “no pain, no gain.” It’s just not possible to be fit unless one is willing to actually invest time and effort in staying that way. The bike has to be ridden, the exercise done, the laps swum, the miles run. As corny as it sounds, there’s a reason it’s called a work out!


This passage from John reminds us that the life of true faith also requires work, that in the words of “many of his disciples … ‘This teaching is difficult …’” Many decided it was too hard and drifted away. Some, though, recognized that there was only path to spiritual health and that was through Jesus – Peter, who has his moments of towering denseness, here sees things with acute clarity: “Lord, to whom can we go?” he observes. “You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”


Peter doesn’t focus on the hard work of being a disciple. Instead, he focuses on the outcome: new life, eternal life, a result that is worth making any effort and enduring any difficulty. Fortunately, as we continue our spiritual training, we are not alone. Like those who prepare for a marathon as part of a team, we have friends in the church and beyond to whom we can turn for support when the going gets tough and we need a reminder that Jesus has “the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that [he is] the Holy One of God.”

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