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John 6:35-51
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Continue scrolling to read reflection.

By: The Rev. Dr. W. Ross Blackburn

It is the last word in Genesis describing life as God intended it. Just like Adam and Eve, we long to know and to be known for who we are. But we rarely let others know us as we are, for fear that if we did they would walk away. We are ashamed, and therefore we are not naked. And life becomes an effort to present ourselves in such a way that others won’t reject us. Just like Adam and Eve in fig leaves behind the bushes, we are ashamed, so we hide.

We should never underestimate the power of shame in abortion. Recently, I read an article in the Human Life Review that explored the reasons women had abortions and came across this quote by Georgette: “My abortion was not about birth control-it was about fear. Fear of ruining my current reputation and future dreams. Fear of people finding out I wasn’t a ‘good’ girl.” Georgette’s story is hardly uncommon. Abortion is often about fear. And, in particular, fear of rejection, whether from a family, a community, or a boyfriend. Perhaps even a church. Which brings us to Jesus’ words this week in John: “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Let’s break it down. Whoever. Meaning whoever, regardless of background, sin, emotional or mental stability, or station in life. Comes. The Gospel holds an invitation–a hope and an expectation–for these “whoevers” to come to Jesus. To me. And, for those who come, Jesus’ promise is clear–he will never cast them out. Never. To say it differently, he will always welcome them.

As the Body of Christ, the church should be the one place where women and men can bring their shame and find mercy and grace to help in their need, where sinners are welcomed, without fear of rejection. If abortion is driven by the fear of rejection, what more powerful means of fighting in our abortion culture than being a community that welcomes people who have fallen? After all, aren’t we among those who Jesus promised, in coming to him, he would never cast out?