21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time-B

I Reading: Joshua 24:1-2,15-18: Joshua gives the people of Israel the opportunity to choose between Yahweh and idols (the pagan gods).

II Reading: Ephesians 5:21-32: The relationship between Christ and the Church is symbolized by that between a loving husband and wife.

Gospel: John 6:60-69: Jesus is rejected by many of his early followers who are unable to accept the challenge of his words on his body and blood as eternal life.

 

In today’s three readings we find God’s covenantal love and faithfulness. Joshua summoned the leaders of all tribes and whole people of Israel at Schechem and raised a stone as a witness to God and made a covenant with God. Joshua gave them a choice where to follow God or idols. Joshua said, “whatever your choice be, I and my family will serve no other god, but our God.” The whole assembly shouted after hearing Joshua; we will also serve Yahweh, is our God.  

In the second reading, Paul talks about the relationship between Jesus and the Church and the husbands and wives as a covenantal love, faithfulness and unity.

John’s gospel chapter 6 deals with the Bread of Life. Jesus said, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood will not have eternal life. The leaders, scribes and Pharisees and many of his followers did not understand his doctrine and teachings of Jesus and finally, they left him.

In today’s gospel Jesus challenged his twelve disciples and today he is challenging us  and asking these questions “What about you? Do you want to go away too?” (Jn 6:67). “Have I not chosen you, twelve you? Yet one of you is a devil.” (Jn 6:70). Judas Iscariot was chosen and near very close with Jesus but he was too far and miles away from Jesus because he did not accept and love Jesus or true living God.

Our response should be in the words of Simon Peter during the time of temptation: “Master to whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68?).

Jesus established the Eucharist as a covenant that nourishes us and becomes our spiritual food. Jesus wants us to renew our covenant with God during Baptism and in the Eucharist where Jesus loves us continuously and gives his life for us in the form of bread and wine.

Jesus becomes our real spiritual food and nourishment through our faith in Christ, the Word of God which is creative, active and alive. The words of Jesus are the Spirit gives a new life.

It is our duty and responsibility to be faithful to Him always by choosing the right decision to love and serve the true living God and His people.

Let us be united and come back to the Lord as a repentant believer and experience God’s love, joy, peace, happiness and forgiveness…in our lives.

The Reason Some People are Offended by Christ,

The Bread of Life, Jn 6:59-71

People are often offended by Jesus Christ. Four things in particular offend them:

1. Jesus’ message was to the synagogue crowd in Capernaum (v.59-60)

          a. Many disciples were present

          b. They had difficulty accepting his message

2. There is the idea of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood (v.51-56, 61)

3. There is the ascension and exaltation of Christ (v.62)

4. There is the teaching that the Spirit quickens, gives life and the flesh commits for nothing (v.63-64)

5. There is the fact that God saves human, the human does not save him/herself (v.65)

6. The conclusion: There were three responses (v.66-71)

          a. The disciples who turned back

          b. The disciples who believed Jesus was the Christ

          c. The disciples who betrayed Christ

To be “saved” means “to be with God in our present and future life” to see Him, to share His life and joy and peace. To be “lost” means not to be admitted into God’s presence and to be deprived of God’s life, joy and peace forever.

When we speak of “heaven” and “hell”, we are not speaking about places but of “states” (ways) of being: “heaven” means “to be with God”, while “hell” means to be deprived of Him. God wants and longs that everyone may be saved in heaven with Him and forever. It is up to each one of us to decide or choose whether to be saved or to be lost. We need to try to enter by the narrow door with humility and obedience to God’s teachings and commandments. We cannot enter into heaven with pride, Selfishness, self-righteousness, disobedience to God’s will and teachings, jealousy, envy, hatred and all evil actions.

Thought: It is our own free will to choose the true living God to receive the eternal life from Jesus Christ than the devils or idols who perish our lives and lead into hell. 

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