Daily Readings - Sun Aug 25 2024

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

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of commitment, love, and the transformative power of faith. In the first reading from Joshua, we hear the prophet calling the people of Israel to make a choice: to serve the Lord or to turn back to the idols of their ancestors. Joshua reminds them of God’s faithfulness, recounting how He led them out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. The people, moved by this reminder, affirm their commitment to serve the Lord, declaring that they will follow Him and no other. This passage emphasizes the importance of remembering God’s actions in our lives and allowing that memory to shape our decisions. The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to the relationships within the Christian community, particularly within marriage. Paul calls husbands and wives to live out their commitment to one another in a way that reflects the love of Christ for the Church. He emphasizes mutual submission, respect, and self-giving love, drawing a deep connection between the sacrament of marriage and the union of Christ with His bride, the Church. This reading reminds us that our relationships are not just about personal happiness but about living out the Gospel in concrete ways. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the Eucharist as the source of eternal life, saying, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” Many of His disciples find this teaching too difficult to accept, and they abandon Him. Yet, Peter and the other apostles remain, confessing their faith in Jesus as the Son of God. This passage invites us to reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist and the commitment it requires. Just as Joshua called the people to choose the Lord, and just as Paul called husbands and wives to live out their commitment in love, Jesus calls us to embrace the gift of His Body and Blood as the source of our spiritual life. These readings remind us that faith is not a passive belief but an active commitment to God and to one another. Like Joshua’s people, we are called to remember God’s faithfulness and to make choices that align with our commitment to Him. Like the Ephesians, we are called to live out our relationships in love and mutual respect. And like Peter, we are called to stay with Jesus, even when the journey is difficult, trusting that He has the words of eternal life. Let us ask for the grace to live out our faith with courage, love, and fidelity, knowing that it is in Him that we find true life.