God have long ago established everything there is for us to
follow and do. It is now just a matter of choice and we always have a choice
and the free will to decide. Today's 1st reading speaks of Joshua's declaration
to serve the Lord and the obvious firmness in his decision without considering
whether they will follow him or not. He made it clear that his decision to
serve the Lord is his personal commitment and will not have anything to do with
the decision of others. He is so convinced of it that he did not have to say anything
more to win them over to his side rather left them all to decide for
themselves. God will never force Himself on us and will always be the Perfect
Gentleman. It is all up to us to decide. Amen. Hallelujah!
Joshua 24:1-2a. 15-17. 18b
...Joshua addressed all the people 15 “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
dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” ...
Although there are times when we do not have to sweat at all
and things just come and fall into place we also have to know that our life is
mostly a product of the choices we make. Our choices must always be responsible
and carefully decided on. We've got to have a reliable standard for it. One
without fail and is sure to work. Actually there is only one thing that we can
surely depend on and that is the goodness of the Lord. If we always have this
in mind then nothing should stop us to always look at God, listen and follow
Him. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 34:2-3. 16-17. 18-19. 20-21. 22-23 (9a)
R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall
be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear
me and be glad. (R) 15 [16] The LORD has eyes for the just, and ears for their
cry. 16 [17] The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them
from the earth. (R) 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and
from all their distress he rescues them. 18 [19] The LORD is close to the
brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves...
This has always been an issue for married couples. Who calls
the shot and who's on top of things. Today's 2nd reading is very clear about it
but the fact remains that it will remain a mystery. As suggested in Companion,
the key here is for the couple to work out how the dynamic of mutual submission
works! There is no ‘one rule that fits all situations.’ Such would be a denial
of the individuality of the human person.
Ephesians 5:21-32 (or Ephesians 5:2a. 25-32)
21 Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out
of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to
the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the
church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the church is subordinate to
Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything...This
is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
Some things do not always come easy. There are things that
we might find hard to accept and believe unless we are totally convinced of it.
So how do we become totally convinced of something? We must be able to witness
it and come to a decision that it is proven and tested. There is a need to make
use of our faculties in order to achieve this. Sometimes we reach a point in
our lives when we experience so much trials and hardships in life that makes us
doubt and lead us to question God. We better be convinced and not falter
knowing that God is able to fulfill all His promises. In this day's gospel,
Jesus asked Peter if he wanted to leave, may we also find ourselves saying
these same words that were professed by Peter. We should carefully look back
and examine our own lives. And very often this is what I always hear people say
especially Christians who have a big faith in God. At hindsight we come up with
a better understanding of the things that have already occurred and could come
up with the best judgment in relation to the things that are happening. I
believe that God has given us enough proof and evidence for us to be totally
convinced and believe. The only question lies if we are willing to not just profess
the same words of Peter in today's gospel but really believe, act on it, find
the courage to live it through and hold on until the end. The gospel for today
is a continuation of the Bread of Life discourse which is the heart of the
gospel of John. There are many words of Jesus in the bible where we are not
supposed to take literally but rather figuratively. His words that spoke of
Himself as the Gate, Door and the like are titles attributed to Him that are
meant to be taken figuratively. The Bread of Life should be understood
literally and sacramentally. If we are to read the previous gospel from John we
would see that Jesus makes a noticeable shift and used the verb
"eats", "drinks" and "feeds". The reaction of His
followers in today's gospel and in the previous explains and attests to this.
Jesus really meant it when He said to eat and drink His blood. It is indeed a
very hard teaching and we ought to see the key things which hinder what we
ought to accept and believe. In the past 2 Sunday gospels we find these
hindrances and obstacles as we read that many of the disciples murmured,
quarreled and in today’s gospel left Him. St.
Augustine said, “I believe in order to understand and
I understand in order to believe.” Take note of John 6:66 (which has the
#666)in today's gospel " As a result of this, many of his disciples
returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him." We
need to be clear of this truth and be united with Christ in Holy Communion. We
must receive with the proper disposition for this to take effect in our soul.
Anyone aware of mortal sin and receives Communion is receiving unworthily. We
must receive worthily otherwise we are putting judgment on ourselves as St.
Paul says"...whoever eats in an unworthy manner is guilty of profaning our
Lord..., he who eats and drinks without discerning brings judgment upon
himself..." (1 Corinthians 11:29) We have to receive Christ in a state of
grace. According to St. Justin, no one may take part in the Bread and Wine in
the Eucharist unless he believes what the Church teaches is true and lives in
keeping with what Christ taught. Unworthy Communion is a sacrilege. It outrages
God more than all other mortal sins because it attacks not just the 10
Commandments but the Person of Jesus Christ. It is a profanation, crucifies
Jesus Christ in our hearts and brings to ourselves chastisement. It is a
greater crime than in Mt.
Calvary
John 6:60-69
60 Many of his disciples who were listening said, “This
saying is hard; who can accept it?” 61 Since Jesus knew that his disciples were
murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? 62 What if you
were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 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. 64 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. 65 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.” 66 As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer
accompanied him. 67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words
of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the
Holy One of God.”
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