Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!

"Jesus then said to the Twelve, 'Do you also want to leave?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:67–69)

In these poignant verses near the end of the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus confronts the cost of discipleship with searing honesty. Many of His followers had turned away, scandalized by His insistence on the necessity of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Rather than soften His teaching or compromise the truth for popularity, Jesus turns to the Twelve with a searching question that echoes through every generation: “Do you also want to leave?” It is not an accusation, but an invitation—an appeal to freedom and faith.

This moment is critical in understanding the dynamics of faith as a response not to human persuasion, but to divine revelation. The difficulty of Jesus' teaching had not diminished its truth. Instead, it became the very means by which authentic discipleship was tested. Simon Peter's response embodies the essence of Christian fidelity: not the full comprehension of mystery, but the confession of trust rooted in personal relationship. His rhetorical question, “To whom shall we go?” acknowledges the singularity of Christ—there is no alternative source of life, no other teacher who speaks with the authority of God. His profession that Jesus has “the words of eternal life” expresses a deep, spiritual intuition that, beyond the offense of the teaching, lies the gift of salvation.

Peter’s declaration, “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God,” reveals a mature faith formed not merely through miracles and teachings, but through encounter. The phrase “have come to believe” suggests a process, a journey into conviction. This is not blind acceptance but reasoned and experiential assent. The title “Holy One of God” affirms the divine identity of Jesus, linking Him to the consecrated reality of the divine presence in Israel’s history, now incarnate in the person of Christ. It is a confession that He is the one set apart, sent, and sanctified by the Father to bring eternal life to the world.

These verses resonate in every context where the demands of the Gospel provoke hesitation, doubt, or rejection. They challenge the faithful to examine the foundations of their discipleship: Is it rooted in convenience or in conviction? In the contemporary world, where Christian teaching on the Eucharist, sexuality, suffering, and obedience often clashes with secular norms, the question of Jesus remains urgent. To follow Him requires not only initial enthusiasm but enduring commitment, especially when the way becomes obscure or difficult. The Church, like Peter, must stand firm not by diluting the mystery, but by proclaiming Christ with humble courage.

John 6:67–69 reveals that authentic faith is born in the crucible of freedom. Christ compels no one. He presents the truth in love and invites a response. The grace of discipleship is sustained not by understanding everything, but by clinging to the One who is everything. In the Eucharist, the Church continues to hear the same words that caused many to turn away, and yet continues to echo Peter’s response: “To whom shall we go?” In her sacraments, her doctrine, her worship, and her suffering, the Church proclaims with unwavering conviction that Christ alone has the words of eternal life and that following Him is not merely the best option—it is the only way to fullness of life in God.