A Joyful Experience on Gaudete Sunday
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“This saying is hard; who can accept it?” said Jesus’ disciples today in the Gospel.
We say this at times too when we are confronted with a teaching of Jesus or the Church that we find hard to accept. In fact, it may hit a very tender part of our lives and we just don’t want to believe that saying or teaching, or embrace it.
How do we respond? We act just like the disciples did!
Some of us just ignore the saying or teaching and continue on with our lives as if it didn’t exist. Some of us outwardly reject it and choose our own version of what Jesus said. Some of us simply start rejecting Jesus and the entire faith. Some of us slowly fall away and start going our own way. Some of us even try to manipulate what Jesus said to serve our own interests.
The very root of these actions is unbelief and lack of acceptance.
We want our lives to be easy and we want Jesus’ teachings to be easy. Instead, if we’re really trying to live them, we come to find that both are hard. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear the Lord echo in your soul that you can do hard things.
Today, Jesus tells us what we ought to do instead when faced with a saying or teaching that is hard to accept: Recognize that His teachings are hard, accept Him for who He is, and continue to follow Him.
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, certified health and life coach, and volunteer. She is the creator of the ministry Women in Waiting | Made for Fruitfulness and is a published author. Her writing interests and focus areas include Gospel reflections, Franciscan spirituality, women's spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and daily living.
