Daily Readings - Sat Aug 19 2017
Joshua
14"Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."16Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods,17for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed.18And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."19But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good."21And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD."22Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses."23He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel."24And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey."25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem.26And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.27And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God."28So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.29After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 years old.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of commitment and humility. In the first reading from Joshua, the Israelites stand before their leader, Joshua, and reaffirm their commitment to serve the Lord. Joshua challenges them to choose between the God of their ancestors and the gods of the surrounding cultures, warning them that serving the Lord is no trivial matter. The people, with conviction, declare their loyalty to the Lord, and Joshua seals this covenant with a stone of remembrance, a tangible symbol of their promise to follow God.
In the Gospel, we find Jesus teaching a different kind of lesson about commitment. When children are brought to him, the disciples try to shoo them away, thinking them unworthy of Jesus’ attention. But Jesus rebukes the disciples, saying, “Let the children come to me… for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Here, Jesus emphasizes the qualities of humility, trust, and openness that children embody. He invites us to approach God not with the pride or self-reliance of adults but with the simplicity and dependence of a child.
These readings remind us that following God requires both commitment and humility. Joshua’s call to choose the Lord is a call to fidelity and perseverance in our faith, even when the journey is difficult. Jesus’ welcome of the children, on the other hand, invites us to approach God with the same kind of trust and vulnerability that children naturally exhibit. Together, they teach us that living as disciples means making a deliberate choice to follow God while also embracing the humility and openness that allows us to receive God’s grace.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I being called to renew my commitment to God? And how can I cultivate a childlike humility in my relationship with Him? May we, like the Israelites, choose to serve the Lord with sincerity, and may we, like the children, approach Him with trust and simplicity. In doing so, we will find the true freedom and joy of living in God’s kingdom.