So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

John 6:53, 60, 66-67

Dear God, this passage still divides Christians today. In fact, it’s one of the key things that kept me from being confirmed Catholic with my wife. And I’ll confess that if I had been one of the ones who participated in this conversation 2,000 years ago then I would probably have walked away too.

So I guess my question is, when/where do I draw the line when it comes to discerning theological truths? How do I figure out when something is a deal breaker, when it’s something I can agree to disagree, and when it’s something for me to embrace? When my wife started to attend a Catholic church and I joined her, there were many things I could embrace because I readily agreed theologically. Then there were things that I decided I could agree to disagree on. Then there was this issue of Transubstantiation that I decided was an area they believed in to such a paramount extent that I simply couldn’t be confirmed if I didn’t embrace it as well. And now here Jesus is, using this issue to push His disciples and when they start to push back He doubles down.

Father, I’m not leaving, but I’m also not able to embrace the Catholic vision of your body and blood. But I have given you all of me that I intellectually, emotionally, and physically know to give. If there is more I need to give to show my love for you then please reveal it to me. I don’t want to hold anything back.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen