“How Shall I Make a Return to the Lord?” These are the words of today’s Psalm. A legitimate question, if this were in fact David’s words from Psalm 116. We know the story. David sees Bathsheba, wants Bathsheba and has her husband, Uriah, killed so he can have what he wants. But we know also that this is not the end of the story. David realizes the error of his ways, repents and writes many of the Psalms as a way of returning to God.
The word Hashivenu (Ha-she-vay-nu) in Hebrew is asking God to return us to You. It comes in recognition that a separation has occurred between yourself and the Lord and is a pleading for Him to bring us back. The word Teshuvah (Te-shu-va) is similar but not exactly the same. It means to return to God. It is your act of returning to God as opposed to asking God to take action to help us return to Him. In each case, however, there is that requirement to know that a division with God has taken place. It is almost like an addict who cannot overcome his addiction until he acknowledges that he in fact has a problem.
In last Sunday’s reading we saw the two disciples walking towards the remote town of Emmaus….but they are also walking AWAY from Jerusalem (the seat of their faith). We also may recall the post-resurrection story of Peter and some of the other apostles deciding to go fishing as a way of dealing with the disappointment and sorrow of Jesus’ crucifixion. In both cases they leave what they had been following, the teachings of Jesus, to return to familiarity. Life in Emmaus and the work of fishing for a living. They drifted away.
But in each case they were brought back to the Lord when they once again were in the presence of the Lord. On the road to Emmaus and, in the instance of the apostles fishing, Jesus waiting for them on the shore. Preparing for them a meal in what some refer to as the “Last Breakfast”.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shocks many of His disciples by telling them they must eat His body and drink His blood if they intend to follow Him and have eternal life. Many walked away at this teaching and abandoned Jesus at a time when He would need their support the most. His upcoming passion. Jesus did not call them back and change the narrative. He upped the ante by reinforcing the theme of consuming Him to achieving redemption. What we do not know is whether any came back. The Bible does say MANY left…but not all. We know that the apostles, except for Judas, did stick around but I am willing to bet that some of those that originally left, returned to Jesus..returned to God. Some may have recited Hashivenu. Help us return to You, Lord.
And don’t we also drift away when things get tough? When we are criticized for our faith? Ridiculed for believing in God? For being Catholic? For abiding in the social teachings of the Church? “This teaching is hard”. But like that time 2 millennia ago, the teachings don’t change. We must decide whether WE will return.
The world does get in the way sometimes, doesn’t it? We have to work to support our families. And we also have hobbies and activities that may distract us from God. Maybe we have things we want to do on Sundays that get in the way of spending time in Mass with God. And we slowly separate from the Lord. Maybe we get so far away that we can no longer see where we were. We get away from praying daily, from reading scripture, from volunteering at the food bank.
But we just need to ask, “Hashivenu”. Return us to you, Lord. And then Teshuvah…actually take steps for that return to occur. Peter tells Jesus when Jesus asks if they too will leave, “To Whom Shall We Go?” The world that the disenchanted disciples went to? That world was broken and remains broken today. But we have the Bread of Life. The Way the Truth and the Life which leads us back to His world. The world of the Father and to eternal life.
In the words of Catholic song writer, Bernadette Farrell:
Bread of life, hope of the world,
Jesus Christ, our brother:
feed us now, give us life,
lead us to one another.
