Ord21 - Do You also want to Leave? (17:00)

Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday. It isn't easy being a Catholic - medieval rituals, old-fashioned ideas, strange teachings, difficult rules, bad priests and bishops... I have come to recognize that beneath it all, the Church preserves a real and faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Catholics (even Popes) aren't always good and faithful but Jesus is always good, always faithful, always true. It isn't easy being a Catholic because it isn't easy being a disciple of Jesus. He gives us strange and difficult teachings, he holds us to very high standards, and he passes on to us mysterious rituals. Today we see three responses to Jesus:

• "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."
• Judas, who pretends to be a disciple, but in his heart follows other beliefs.
• "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" And they go away and no longer follow Him.

Jesus is always faithful to us. Will we remain faithful to Him?

(26 Aug 2012)