Date: May 2, 2020 ()

Bible Text: First Reading: ACTS 9:31-42; Gospel: JN 6:60-69 |

Series:

We trust in every word of the Gospel because it is the Word of the Lord who is the Truth.

When it was my first time to come to terms with the doctrine of original sin, at one point I really found myself doubting how the church came up with this teaching. In fact, one classmate of mine was also struggling and could not stop himself from saying: “The church must be wrong in this part of her teachings!” Up until now, we know there are sects who are totally opposed and really could not take such teaching. It took several years though for the church to just believe it without a well-defined explanation until, we were blest with the brilliance of Saint Augustine who taught us that there is indeed original sin, and it is because of it that Christ came to us as a universal savior - a savior of us all, infants and adults.

In our gospel today, many of the disciples withdrew from following Jesus and preferred to go back to their old ways when they realized that the Lord’s teachings were very difficult to understand. But no matter how unpopular was the truth, Jesus did not make any compromise. He stood by the truth. In fact, He rather challenged the faith of His closest disciples: “Do you also want to leave?”

Today we honor St. Athanasius, bishop and doctor of the Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the widespread heresy of Arianism, the teaching by Arius that Jesus was not truly divine. When Athanasius became bishop of Alexandria, he continued the fight against Arianism. However, with unclear reason during the Council of Tyre, he was exiled by the emperor Constantine and when reinstalled as a bishop, he was deposed once again by a coalition of Arian bishops. Five times Athanasius was exiled for his defense of the doctrine of Christ’s divinity.

Arianism may have gained popularity in those times but the teachings of the church do not go with popularity and trend. The church goes with the truth proclaimed in the gospel.

Peter said: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In these times of seeming uncertainty, may we have the steadfastness of Peter’s faith, when the hour comes that our faith is tested. We trust in every word of the Gospel because it is the Word of the Lord who is the Truth.