Week 32 of the Church year
പെന്തിക്കോസ്തിക്കു ശേഷം മൂന്നാം ഞായർ
Jesus keeps teaching about the bread of life. The crowd begins to grumble: isn’t this Joseph’s son? Jesus says no one comes to him unless the Father draws them.
Jesus says he is the bread of life and will not turn away anyone who comes to him. He came to do the Father’s will: that he lose none of those given to him and raise them on the last day. The crowd grumbles that they know his parents.
This continues the bread of life teaching from two Sundays ago. The Church reads John 6 in stages through this season.
Jesus promises he will never throw out anyone who comes to him. There is no one he is looking for a reason to reject.
ഈ ഞായറാഴ്ചയുടെ വായനകൾ
A prophet without honour at home; the twelve sent out two by two.
Jesus sends the twelve to proclaim the kingdom and heal.
Joseph’s brothers admit their guilt, not knowing he understands them.
Will you not call to me, “My Father”?
Three young men in the furnace, and a fourth walking with them.
Paul preaches that God raised Jesus and did not let him see decay.
Do good to all; what counts is a new creation.
Whoever comes to me I will never drive away. This is the Gospel of the day.
Open in five scenesJoseph tests his brothers in Egypt, and Jeremiah calls an unfaithful people to return. In Daniel, God rescues his servants from the furnace. Paul preaches forgiveness through Jesus, and Galatians says what counts is a new creation.
References follow the official lectionary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Your parish may read them in a different order.
Pick a scene to see what happens in it and what is easy to miss.
I am the bread of life, Jesus says. Whoever comes to me will never hunger. But you have seen me and still do not believe.
Seeing and believing are not the same. Thomas will learn the reverse at Easter (John 20:29).
Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. I came down not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
The promise is absolute. John uses a strong double negative in Greek: “I will certainly not throw out”.
This is the Father’s will: that I lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the last day. Everyone who sees the Son and believes has eternal life.
Jesus repeats “I will raise him up on the last day” four times in this chapter.
The people grumble because he said he came down from heaven. Isn’t this Jesus, son of Joseph? We know his father and mother.
“Grumble” is the same word used of Israel complaining about manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16).
Stop grumbling, says Jesus. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them. The prophets wrote: they will all be taught by God.
Faith is not only our search for God. It begins with God drawing us.
The verse to keep
“പിതാവു എനിക്കു തരുന്നതു ഒക്കെയും എന്റെ അടുക്കൽ വരും; എന്റെ അടുക്കൽ വരുന്നവനെ ഞാൻ ഒരുനാളും തള്ളിക്കളകയില്ല.”“All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out.”
The crowd in Capernaumകഫർന്നഹൂമിലെ പുരുഷാരം
Listeners in the synagogue who know Jesus’ family and cannot believe he came from heaven.
“—”
Josephയോസേഫ്
Named by the crowd as Jesus’ father.
“He will add”
ഒരുനാളും തള്ളിക്കളയുകയില്ല
Many people carry a fear that they are not good enough for God. They think they have done something too bad, or come too late, or doubted too much. Jesus answers that fear in one line: whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
The crowd in Capernaum grumbles because Jesus seems too ordinary. They know his family. How can he come from heaven? Jesus does not argue. He says faith begins with the Father drawing people to him, and that he will lose none of those the Father gives him.
That is good news for anyone who feels on the edge of the Church, and for parents worried about children who have drifted. It is not up to us to drag anyone back. God is already drawing them. Our part is to keep the door open, and to trust that Jesus will not turn away anyone who comes.
കുടുംബമായി സംസാരിക്കാം
Is there anyone you know who feels unwelcome in church? How could we make them feel welcome?
Two minutes after the audio. Everyone gets a turn, and nobody is interrupted.Pray each day for one person who has drifted from faith, trusting that the Father is drawing them.
Lord Jesus, you will never drive away anyone who comes to you. Draw us and those we love to yourself, and raise us up on the last day. Amen.
The whole year
Every Sunday of the Church year, season by season: readings, the Gospel and a question for the family.
Sunday 4 of 18 in Pentecost