John 6:52-59 Expose Yourself!

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

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The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”  Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you…”

Just a few days ago, Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of England, was laid to rest.  No one had ever seen a politician quite like her:  a woman in a man’s world. 

The daughter of a grocer, Thatcher was a member of the Conservative Party.  Actually, she was a member of its right-wing fringes.  Among Party members, she gradually grew in stature and respect due to her unique and no nonsense approach to politics and politicians.  She was very clear on the issues of the day and very blunt with her opponents.  In fact, she did what no other ever did:  she labeled them. 

Thatcher was unbending on difficult decisions.  She polarized the nation and the electorate.  At first, the crowd hated her; gradually they grew to love her.  They began to see in her what they wanted to see in themselves:  courage, real courage.  

Margaret Thatcher exposed herself to danger and risked everything.  Great leaders expose themselves to danger and risk everything.  They do not allow their emotions to get in the way of their convictions or their beliefs.  They hunt down their fears by exposing themselves.  This is the secret to success and they are willing to go for it.  Leaders know that their words and deeds are meaningless if they are unwilling to risk their very own name and skin.  This is, in essence, what separates leaders from the crowd or the security of anonymity. 

So who is a leader?  I think the answer is someone who is willing to reveal who they really are.   

This is exactly what the Lord did. 

Expose yourself to danger.  In today’s Gospel passage, the Lord took a stand, and literally found himself standing alone.  The Jews quarreled.  His disciples quarreled.  His Apostles were stunned.  The Lord said something that shocked their intelligence and shook their faith to the core.  But in truth, the Lord had broken through a barrier like an aircraft breaks through the sound barrier:  by blasting through it!

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.  Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

Today, the Lord separated himself from a cloud of prophets, gurus and self-improvement experts.  He revealed His true mission, without mixing any words.  He revealed His true identity, without ambiguity.  He set things straight:  I have not come into the world just to preach.  I have not come into the world to give to you some moral teachings.  I have come into the world to give you my very life:  body, blood, soul and divinity.   

Take it or leave it.

As we all know, many disciples left him that day and returned to their former ways of life.  People don’t change overnight, but they can reveal themselves overnight.

Resolution:  To prepare my soul and receive the Lord in the Eucharist this Sunday.