Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 122
Reading 1
Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
summoning their elders, their leaders,
their judges, and their officers.
When they stood in ranks before God,
Joshua addressed all the people:
"If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
But the people answered,
"Far be it from us to forsake the LORD
for the service of other gods.
For it was the LORD, our God,
who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
out of a state of slavery.
He performed those great miracles before our very eyes
and protected us along our entire journey
and among the peoples through whom we passed.
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Many are the troubles of the just one,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2
Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32
Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the church,
he himself the savior of the body.
As the church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
OR
Brothers and sisters:
Live in love, as Christ loved us.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
Alleluia
John 6:63c, 68c
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
John 6:60-69
Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said,
"This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, "Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending
to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life,
while the flesh is of no avail.
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 accompanied him.
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.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Unwavering Fidelity Always
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
These words of Saint Peter present us with the conviction we must have when fidelity to the will of God becomes difficult. God is demanding. He wants everything from us. We will only obtain Heaven once we surrender everything over to the will of the Father and believe all that He has revealed. If we fail to do so before we die, we will need to be purified in Purgatory. There is no way around this. God is a demanding God to the greatest extent possible.
The truth is that this is all good. It is good that God demands complete submission to His perfect will and teaching because these are exactly what is best for us. From time to time, because of our weak and fallen human nature, we can perceive God’s will as too demanding and His teaching as too difficult. Do I really have to forgive everyone completely? Do I really have to lay my life down without reserve? Do I really have to keep the Commandments to perfection? Do I really have to be perfect as the Father in Heaven is perfect? Yes. But as we try to do so, we will experience many temptations to give up, thinking that God’s will is too hard.
Today’s Gospel comes at the end of the beautiful Bread of Life Discourse in which our Lord taught clearly, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” At the beginning of today’s Gospel, upon listening to Jesus’ new teaching, many of His disciples murmured among themselves saying, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” This teaching of Jesus is “hard” in the sense that it requires a profound faith to understand completely. But just because something is hard to accept does not mean that we should not accept it.
Peter’s statement quoted above gives us the words we should say whenever we find God’s will or His teaching difficult to accept. When that happens, we must hear Jesus ask us the same question He asked the Twelve: “Do you also want to leave?” Jesus will not try to manipulate us. He will not back down when He sees we are struggling. He will not lessen the requirement of being His faithful follower. Instead, He will give us the freedom to either believe or leave. And when we feel like leaving, we should always remember Peter’s words, “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.”
Peter’s statement says all we need to know in the face of any interior conflict of faith. Sure, we could leave our Lord and do our own thing. But where would we go? To embrace the passing pleasures of the world? To what end? If we believe and are convinced that Jesus is the Holy One of God, then no matter how hard, no matter how demanding, no matter how difficult, we must embrace fidelity to God in all things. That act of fidelity, especially when we struggle with some interior conflict, is the key to unlocking the transforming power of God in our lives.
Reflect, today, upon any ways that you have felt God’s will or any of His revealed truths to be difficult and demanding. When you face such an interior challenge, what do you do? If your response is to turn from God and become lax in your fidelity to Him, then reflect upon Peter’s words to Jesus. Make those words your prayer, and let that prayer strengthen your conviction to become an unwavering and faithful follower of God.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
HIS EUCHARISTIC CHALLENGE
“Jesus was fully aware that His disciples were murmuring in protest at what He had said. ‘Does it shake your faith?’ He asked them.” —John 6:61
Jesus challenges us to believe His mysterious statement: “The bread I will give is My flesh, for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). A typical reaction to this challenge is to ask the question: “How can He give us His flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:52) Jesus does not directly answer this question. Rather, He extends an even more puzzling challenge by repeatedly insisting that we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood (Jn 6:53-58). If we do this, He will raise us from the dead (Jn 6:53-54), live in us and we in Him (Jn 6:56), and give us life forever (Jn 6:58). If we do not eat His Body and drink His Blood, we “have no life in” us (Jn 6:53).
Then “many of His disciples remarked, ‘This sort of talk is hard to endure! How can anyone take it seriously?’ ” (Jn 6:60) “From this time on, many of His disciples broke away and would not remain in His company any longer” (Jn 6:66). Nevertheless, Jesus continues to insist that we believe in and receive His Body and Blood.
Joshua challenged the people: “Decide today whom you will serve” (Jos 24:15). Jesus, the new Joshua (Jeshua), also challenges us to decide today about living to receive His Body and Blood. Will we receive Him in repentance, joy, and love? Will we receive Holy Communion as often as possible and center our lives on the Eucharist? Jesus is challenging us. Our actions will speak louder than our words. Will we accept Jesus’ challenge?
Prayer: Father, grant me the grace to come to the Eucharistic Jesus (see Jn 6:65).
Promise: “Defer to one another out of reverence for Christ.” —Eph 5:21
Praise: Praise You, risen Lord Jesus. You are holy and all your ways are true (see Tb 3:2).
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The First Reading takes us to the scene where people of Israel are about to enter into the Promised Land. Before they make their entry, Joshua insists that they have to declare that they will serve the Lord God alone. They have to make a conscious decision to do away with the idols amidst them. The Bread of Life discourse that we have been listening to for five weeks comes to an end today. The hearers of Jesus make a conscious decision to reject him and his teachings. Jesus asks his disciples whether they also would go away. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Holy One of God. The apostles decide to remain with Jesus. How do we decide now to choose God and God alone? By a) listening to our heart; b) surrendering to God; and c) realizing our unworthiness.
Prayers
My demanding Lord, in Your great love and mercy You require everything of me. You ask me to give You my life in total surrender and service of Your perfect will. When I am weak, give me strength. When I doubt, give me faith. Help me, Lord, to always deepen my resolve and to follow You with complete fidelity. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, you have the words of everlasting life. Help me to cast aside all doubt and fear so that I may freely embrace your word with complete trust and joy. I surrender all to you. Be the Lord of my life and the Ruler of my heart. May there be nothing which hinders me from trusting in your love and following your will.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 237: The Darkness of Faith Purifies our Love
Many of the great saints, including Saint Faustina, experienced an interior darkness in their relationship with God. This is quite a mysterious experience. As a soul grows intimately close to God there are numerous consolations and feelings of love along the way. However, there comes a point on the spiritual journey when God hides Himself. This is not on account of any sin on the part of the person; rather, it’s God’s way of entering much deeper into the person’s life so as to sustain them without the help of emotional or even spiritual consolation. The soul is plunged into a darkness that can be quite painful. But in this darkness, the person is invited to know God with a new silence and surrender. The communication it receives on this new level is beyond words and beyond human experience. There is a knowledge of God and His Divine Will, but not an experience of Him. The soul is invited through this darkness to choose God and His Will despite the absence of any feelings or spiritual consolations (See Diary #1235).
Most likely your prayer life has not brought you to this experience of darkness. But even though few enter into this level of communion with God, it’s good to be aware of it and to understand the experience that the great saints had. Knowing that this is the path of holiness will allow you to set aside desires to feel the love of God in exchange for a desire for God Himself. God is not a feeling; He is a Trinity of Divine Persons. Seek to love Him no matter what you feel and your relationship will grow deeper than you could ever imagine.
Lord, at times I do not understand Your perfect love for me. When I feel close to You I am so very grateful for this experience. However, I pray that you give me the grace to love You even when I do not sense Your presence. Please purify my faith, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
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