Daily Readings - Sun Aug 26 2018

¹And Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and he called those greater by birth, and the leaders and judges and teachers. And they stood in the sight of the Lord²And he spoke to the people in this way: "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers lived, in the beginning, across the river: Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor. And they served strange gods¹⁵But if it seems evil to you that you would serve the Lord, a choice is given to you. Choose today what pleases you, and whom you ought to serve above all else, either the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.¹⁶And the people responded, and they said: "Far be it from us that we would forsake the Lord, and serve foreign gods¹⁷The Lord our God himself led us and our fathers away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude. And he accomplished immense signs in our sight, and he preserved us along the entire way by which we journeyed, and among all the people through whom we passed¹⁸And he cast out all the nations, the Amorite, the inhabitant of the land that we entered. And so, we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.

Ephesians

Chapter 4

³²And be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ

Chapter 5

¹Therefore, as most beloved sons, be imitators of God²¹Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ²²Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord²³For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body²⁴Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also should wives be subject to their husbands in all things²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and handed himself over for her²⁶so that he might sanctify her, washing her clean by water and the Word of life²⁷so that he might offer her to himself as a glorious Church, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she would be holy and immaculate²⁸So, too, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself²⁹For no man has ever hated his own flesh, but instead he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also does to the Church³⁰For we are a part of his body, of his flesh and of his bones³¹"For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.³²This is a great Sacrament. And I am speaking in Christ and in the Church

John

Chapter 6

⁵³And so, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you⁶⁰Therefore, many of his disciples, upon hearing this, said: "This saying is difficult," and, "Who is able to listen to it?⁶¹But Jesus, knowing within himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them: "Does this offend you⁶²Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending to where he was before⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh does not offer anything of benefit. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life⁶⁴But there are some among you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who were unbelieving and which one would betray him⁶⁵And so he said, "For this reason, I said to you that no one is able to come to me, unless it has been given to him by my Father.⁶⁶After this, many of his disciples went back, and they no longer walked with him⁶⁷Therefore, Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him: "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life⁶⁹And we have believed, and we recognize that you are the Christ, the Son of God.

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of commitment, love, and faith. The first reading from Joshua presents a pivotal moment where the Israelites are called to choose between serving the Lord or other gods. Joshua's challenge underscores the importance of deliberate commitment to God, recognizing His faithfulness and deliverance. The people affirm their loyalty, highlighting the necessity of making conscious choices in our spiritual journey. The second reading from Ephesians deepens this theme by emphasizing mutual submission and selfless love within relationships. It calls us to imitate God's kindness and forgiveness, particularly within the context of marriage, where husbands and wives are to love and respect each other as Christ loves the Church. This passage reminds us that our relationships should mirror the unity and love of Christ, fostering an environment of support and care. The Gospel from John confronts us with a challenging teaching about the necessity of partaking in Christ's flesh and blood for eternal life. Many disciples find this teaching difficult, leading some to leave. Yet, Peter's response exemplifies unwavering faith, recognizing Jesus as the source of eternal life. This passage invites us to reflect on our commitment to Christ, even when His teachings are hard to accept. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to make intentional choices to follow God, to nurture our relationships with selfless love, and to remain committed to Christ despite challenges. They remind us that our faith is not merely intellectual assent but a lived commitment that transforms how we love and serve others. Let us embrace these teachings, choosing each day to follow Christ, to love as He loves, and to trust in His providence, even when the path is uncertain.