Granted the Privilege by the Father to Come to Jesus

In today's Gospel, John 6: 60-69, Jesus had just said to his disciple: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world."  A significant number of his disciples said to themselves: "'This  saying is hard; who can accept it?'"  Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to them:  "'The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.'  Jesus  knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, 'For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by  my Father.'  As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him."


Lord, you are telling me that the words you speak to me are Spirit and life. I discover that truth when I am open to your words and when I follow the way that you point out to me. I also discover the truth that I enter a "desert" when I walk away from you and do not choose the path to which you are directing me.

          Know, Dorothy Ann (insert your name), that I am grieved when I see you walking away! My 
          heart, then, aches for you and I wait for your return always!

Jesus, I am truly sorry when I cause you pain! Forgive me.

         I do, Dorothy Ann (insert your name).

Father, loving God, thank you for granting me the grace to come to you, to Jesus, to the Spirit.

         You are most welcome, Dorothy Ann (insert your name).  You are my beloved daughter (adapt             this to yourself) in whom I am well pleased. I delight in you. I cherish you. I love to watch the             efforts you put into your search for me. I love it as much as I loved watching Mary Magdalene             looking for me in the empty tomb. I am never far off when you look into places where I am not--
         am not, that is for you but might be for another person.

Thank you, Jesus. And thanks, so much, that you are never far away from me! Thanks for delighting in me, for cherishing me, for being pleased with me, for watching me always!  Lord, please help me that I may continue to follow you, to listen for your voice and when hearing it