Saturday of the 3rd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 6:60-69
“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”. This statement of Jesus made a great reaction among his disciples. According to the Gospel, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him. What is the reason? The reason is that Jesus said that the flesh has nothing to offer. Many of the disciples of Jesus who were following Him, wanted to see the victory of the flesh. The victory of one of the powers of this world gaining power over the rest. But the victory which Jesus speaks is completely different. This is the victory of the spirit. The victory of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Love. The victory of the flesh is power and strength, it’s about domination and muscle, it’s about command and authority. But the Spirit is about humility and service, it’s about selflessness and meekness, it’s about life and love. Jesus is the source of that. That is what Simon Peter is confessing, “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.” Easter is recognizing Jesus as the source of Holy Spirit who is the source of life.