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TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B


cappie

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 This Sunday’s Mass readings conclude a four-week meditation on the Eucharist.

The Twelve Apostles in today’s Gospel are asked to make a choice—either to believe and accept the New Covenant He offers in His Body and Blood or return to their former ways of life.

Their choice is prefigured by the decision Joshua asks the Twelve Tribes to make in today’s First Reading.

Joshua gathers them at Shechem—where God first appeared to their father Abraham promising to make his descendants a great nation in a new land. And he issues a blunt challenge: either renew their covenant with God or serve the alien gods of the surrounding nations.

 The verses from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians   is about living up to obligations. On the part of both the husband and the wife. And maybe the easiest thing to do with this passage is just to quote St. Paul himself and say that “this mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church.”   Jesus did this that we might be sanctified, made holy, through the water and word of Baptism by which we enter into His new covenant. Through the Eucharist, He nourishes and cherishes us, making us His own flesh and blood, as husband and wife become one flesh.

The theme of all three scripture lessons for today is the necessity for us to live up to obligations. Jesus knew this better than any of us. Think for a minute about the absolute dedication with which he lived up to his obligations to God.  He voluntarily allowed his life to be sacrificed on a cross — a sacrifice that, we believe, atones to this day for the sins that we commit.

One of the obligations we have in life is to sacrifice something of value for the greater good. It rarely reaches the stage of the ultimate sacrifice, giving one’s life, but there are many other smaller sacrifices along the way that are expected of us.   Who would avoid the responsibility to quickly try to come to the aid of someone who has tripped and fallen? Our obligation is to be there for one another, even if it means some sacrifice on our part.

Unfortunately, we sometimes fail to do the right thing.  

There are times when we think it is just too much trouble, or too dangerous, or perhaps just not worth the effort, to do what society calls us to do. Jesus experienced the same thing in today’s Gospel. He was beginning to attract followers. Quite a few. And as one might guess, some were more dedicated than others. Some said, “ This is intolerable language,” and turned back and no longer followed him. But the Apostles continued the course. Because they believed that Jesus was the Holy One of God and had the words of eternal life.

 We too are being asked today to decide whom we will serve. For four weeks we have been presented in the liturgy with the mystery of the Eucharist—a daily miracle

He has promised us a new homeland and eternal life, offering us bread from heaven to strengthen us on our journey. He has told us that unless we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, we will have no life in us.

It is a hard saying, as many murmur in today’s Gospel. Yet He has given us the words of eternal life.

We must believe, as Peter says today,  ‘You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’ Jesus handed Himself over for us, who gave His flesh for the life of the world.

Let us renew our covenant today, approaching the altar with confidence that, as we say in today’s Psalm, ‘the Lord ransoms the souls of His servants.’

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