Gospel in Art: Peter answered 'You have the message of eternal life, and we believe'

Christ handing the keys to Saint Peter, ceiling painted in 1869 © Church of San Silvestro al Quirinale in Rome, Italy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 20 April 2024
John 6:60-69

After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, 'This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?' Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, 'Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?

'It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

'But there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus knew from the outset those who did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, 'This is why I told you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him.' After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.

Then Jesus said to the Twelve, 'What about you, do you want to go away too?' Simon Peter answered, 'Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.'

Reflection on the Church Ceiling

Today's Gospel reading captures a moment of crisis for the followers of Jesus. Some of those who have already responded to the call of Jesus to follow him and become his disciples are now struggling to accept the claims he has been making for himself, in particular his claim to be the Bread of Life that has come down from heaven, and as we saw yesterday, that his blood was the real drink. In response, Jesus wonders aloud what they will make of his further claim to 'ascend to where he was before', to return to the Father who sent him through his forthcoming death and resurrection. Surely all this was way too much information for them to take in?

John the evangelist tells us that, after this exchange, 'many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him'. Jesus could not and would not hold on to disciples against their will. There will always be people, and often good people, who will leave the community of disciples, for a variety of reasons. We have all become aware of that phenomenon in more recent years, especially with so many people not attending mass anymore. We can all feel impoverished when those who have been part of our community of faith no longer wish to remain so.

At this moment of crisis, Jesus took what might seem to us to be a risk. He asked those left behind, 'What about you? Do you want to go away too?' Jesus wanted them to stay but he needed them to want to stay. The question 'Do you want to go away too?' is addressed to each one of us. Today, we each have to give our own personal response. It would be hard to find a more appropriate response to Jesus' question than the that of Peter, which we are invited to make our own at every Eucharist, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe, we know that you are the Holy One of God'. That is why Jesus handed him the keys to build his church on earth. We see this moment beautifully carved and depicted in the ceiling of the Church of San Silvestro al Quirinale in Rome.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-6-60-69-2024/
Competition: The Laudamus Award 2024 for Sacred Art - www.indcatholicnews.com/news/4931