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August 19, 2021Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time— August 22, 2021 Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Ephesians 5:21-32; John 6:60-69
Next week our Psalm response invites us to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” The response and all of the Scripture passages next week remind us of the gift of free will and the fundamental choices we have to make if we are to enjoy a life of joy and peace on this earth and in the eternal life to come. Throughout all of Scripture, the choices we have to make between God’s plan for our lives and the giving over of our lives to the temptations of the world are clearly presented. Christ’s promise to lead His followers to an everlasting life of abundance is a powerful and attractive one. Yet, in an ever-increasing fashion, the world tempts us to seek out as much pleasure and comfort as we possibly can.
Jesus invites us to choose to share our lives with Him and partake of His Body and Blood so that we may be strong enough to resist the temptations we are constantly being bombarded with. While many of Jesus’ early followers left Him (claiming that His teaching was too hard), we know that it is not following Jesus that is hard. It is resisting temptation and the distractions of the world that is hard. The inevitable discontent we experience with not having enough worldly possessions or ‘success’ will lead us into anxiety, fears, doubts and worry. Living in and seeking the love of God and the Blessed Mother will fill us with true joy and peace, for Jesus has told us that “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30)
At times we can look at our religion as one replete with rules and requirements. However, our belief in a loving and merciful God invites us to look to our faith and its teachings as the Way, the Truth and the Light leading us to glorious life in the Kingdom. Where the world sees obligation, let us see opportunity to choose to serve the Lord and each other as we grow in virtue and holiness. St. Paul reminds not only married couples but all of us that we are to love each other as Christ loves us, His Church: fully, faithfully and forever. St. Pope John Paul II refers to this type of love as total self-donation. We are called to give our lives totally to the service of God. Yes, these teachings are not easy. Yet we know that we will be rewarded by the generous love of God. While darkness and sin can weigh us down, the Bread of Life lifts us up and fills us with hope. The choice for us to make has never been clearer. Let us follow the lead of Joshua and choose to serve the Lord. As we approach the altar to receive the Eucharist, let us ask for the grace for the Bread of Life to renew our souls and give us the strength to choose to serve the Lord by loving one another as He loves us.
For further reflection on Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 133-1341; and on the spousal love of Christ and the Church, paragraphs 1612-1617.
- Do I make a conscious choice to serve the Lord? How do I demonstrate that commitment most fully? Do I let others influence how dedicated my service might be?
- Jesus said we must eat His Body and drink His Blood if we wish to have life within us. Do I see weekly Mass attendance as an obligation or an opportunity? How does the Eucharist influence how I go about my daily life? What other opportunities of our faith might I take better advantage of?
- What are the things of the Lord I choose to say ‘yes’ too? How comfortable am I about the balance between service to God and service of the world?
