In today’s Gospel, Jesus’s disciples are dispirited and confused. They get a glimpse of the difficulty of following Jesus in uncertain times. In our own time, we feel confused and angered by leaders who did not lead; by shepherds who abandoned -- or preyed upon -- members of their own flock.
We are right to ask Jesus what to make of all we read in the news. And in the swirl of all this, Jesus gently asks us, as he does his disciples, “do you also wish to go away?” Put another way, “why is it that you stay?” Why do we as Catholic Christians remain, despite our disappointment in leadership, and our righteous anger over abuse and cover-ups?
Peter points a way forward: “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."
Trying times have a way of seizing our attention, and refocusing our vision. We are invited, again, to turn not to human principalities and fallible leaders, but to Jesus. We are called to tend to the body of Christ, the Church on earth, which is bruised and hurting. We are challenged to give an encouraging word, to bind up wounds, and to reach out to those in greatest need of healing, and to make amends to protect this body of Christ in the future.
This is why I stay – how about you?
—Fr. Joe Simmons, SJ, is a priest of the Midwest Province and a proud alumnus of Marquette University High School and Marquette University. He begins doctoral studies in theology and literature at the University of Oxford in October.
Lord God, in the midst of hurt and suffering, we ask you to help us turn our eyes toward Jesus, the object of our faith. May we each live out our role in the body of Christ here on earth, as we strive to work with Christ in building the kingdom. Amen.
—The Jesuit Prayer team
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Ignatian spirituality reminds us that God pursues us in the routines of our home and work life, and in the hopes and fears of life's challenges. The founder of the Jesuits, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, created the Spiritual Exercises to deepen our relationship with Christ and to move our contemplation into service. May this prayer site anchor your day and strengthen your resolve to remember what truly matters.
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