When many of his disciples heard it, they said,
“This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”
Many of his disciples turned back
and no longer went about with him.
So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Teacher, to whom can we go?
You have the words of eternal life.”
—from John 6.60-68
See them, both, struggling?
Disciples not sure they can follow such a radical teacher.
Jesus maybe just testing them,
but maybe unsure he’ll have any friends left.
Both asking of the other:
“Can you hang in there with me?”
The Truth is like that, pushing us to the limits of our trust.
It will not let up.
Relationships are like that.
Much is at stake if we stay, more if we leave.
The gift of wisdom lies in staying,
the gift of life that can’t be taken from us.
So we accept our fear, befriend the mystery,
embrace the risk, and hang in there.
We love one who’s hard to love,
follow a wisdom that’s hard to follow,
practice a love that is sometimes terrifying.
Here, in this present moment, not in escape,
is our freedom, our life, our power.
Half the gift is in the beloved, in the Truth.
The other half is simply in the hanging in there.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
August 16, 2021