Abide in Me

Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly,
 I tell you, unless you eat the 
flesh of the Son of Man and 
drink his blood, you have no 
life in you. Those who eat my 
flesh and drink my blood have 
eternal life, and I will raise 
them up on the last day; for 
my flesh is true food and my 
blood is true drink. Those 
who eat my flesh and drink 
my blood abide in me, and I 
in them. Just as the living 
Father sent me, and I live 
because of the Father, so 
whoever eats me will live 
because of me. This is the 
bread that came down from 
heaven, not like that which 
your ancestors ate, and they 
died. But the one who eats 
this bread will live for ever.’ 
He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at 
Capernaum. John 6:53-59

For Friday, April 5th

We spent part of today visiting Notre Dame and taking a boat on
the Seine. Looking at the soaring structure dedicated to the faith,
surrounded by a mass tourists and souvenir shops, it is hard to
imagine how it once was when artisans and laborers were toiling 
away, year after year. Many generations passed before completion, 
and even now it is under renovation and repair. Folks had a long view 
of life and waited with hopefulness for eternity.

Jesus is teaching and is confusing his audience. I can't imagine that
many actually understood what he was saying until long after his 
death and resurrection. The words were both very personal and 
very graphic. The Gospel writers had a long view of his words but 
the crowd gather in the synagogue could not. Yet from afar, amdist
confusion and our world's changing we are reminded to hang in
there and to abide, for God has it covered, even when we cannot 
understand how.

Today, I ask God to help me abide, rest and hope in the love that 
surrounds us even when we cannot see or feel it. May we know 
the promise for us, as we abide in, and share that love.