66 From this time on, many of his talmidim turned back and no longer traveled around with him. 67 So Yeshua said to the Twelve, “Don’t you want to leave too?” 68 Shim‘on Kefa answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the word of eternal life. 69 We have trusted, and we know that you are the Holy One of God.”
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
To whom shall we go? (John 6:68)
Joshua, the Old Testament leader called to bring God’s people into the Promised Land, has much in common with Peter, the fisherman Jesus chose to lead his Church. Both men knew what it meant to follow God when the going got rough!
As Moses’ servant, Joshua heard the people murmur and grumble against God during their desert wanderings. As Jesus’ disciple, Peter heard other disciples complain that Jesus’ “bread of life” statements were too difficult to accept (John 6:60). Yet both men realized that God was at work in the powerful things they had witnessed: Joshua saw the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt; Peter, the healings and miracles worked by Jesus. Each leader expressed his conviction in a ringing declaration of faith (Joshua 24:15; John 6:68-69).
“Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Never before had Peter met anyone who spoke words that gave life. Through Jesus, he had come to experience God’s love and mercy. He also came to realize that Jesus spoke with God’s authority and power. He saw him move people from unbelief to faith through his miracles and his preaching. As a conscientious witness to these wonders, Peter could only declare, “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (6:69).
Just as he did for Joshua and Peter, God wants to show himself to you. He wants to convince you that he has a perfect plan for your life. What’s really exciting about this prospect is that when God pours his grace on you and reveals his love to you, it changes you. Of course, it fills you with joy and faith. But it also gives you all the courage and strength you need to do what Peter and Joshua did—to stay close to the Lord when the going gets rough!
“Lord, you are the Holy One who loves, hears, and rescues me. I believe your words. I will follow you wherever you lead me—right up to the gates of heaven!” Amen!Joshua 24:1 Y’hoshua gathered all the tribes of Isra’el to Sh’khem; he summoned the leaders, heads, judges and officials of Isra’el; and they presented themselves before God. 2 Y’hoshua said to all the people, “This is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘In antiquity your ancestors lived on the other side of the [Euphrates] River — Terach the father of Avraham and Nachor — and they served other gods.
15 If it seems bad to you to serve Adonai, then choose today whom you are going to serve! Will it be the gods your ancestors served beyond the River? or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you are living? As for me and my household, we will serve Adonai!”
16 The people answered, “Far be it from us that we would abandon Adonai to serve other gods; 17 because it is Adonai our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from a life of slavery, and did those great signs before our eyes, and preserved us all along the way we traveled and among all the peoples we passed through; 18 and it was Adonai who drove out from ahead of us all the peoples, the Emori living in the land. Therefore we too will serve Adonai, for he is our God.”
Psalms 34:2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.
16 (15) The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
17 (16) But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
18 (17) [The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
20 (19) The righteous person suffers many evils,
but Adonai rescues him out of them all.
21 (20) He protects all his bones;
not one of them gets broken.
Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another in fear of the Messiah. 22 Wives should submit to their husbands as they do to the Lord; 23 because the husband is head of the wife, just as the Messiah, as head of the Messianic Community, is himself the one who keeps the body safe. 24 Just as the Messianic Community submits to the Messiah, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf, 26 in order to set it apart for God, making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak, 27 in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect. 28 This is how husbands ought to love their wives — like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. 29 Why, no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes care of it, just as the Messiah does the Messianic Community, 30 because we are parts of his Body. 31 “Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and remain with his wife, and the two will become one.”[Ephesians 5:31 Genesis 2:24] 32 There is profound truth hidden here, which I say concerns the Messiah and the Messianic Community.
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:
[Mass Readings:
1st Reading: Joshua 24:1 Y’hoshua gathered all the tribes of Isra’el to Sh’khem; he summoned the leaders, heads, judges and officials of Isra’el; and they presented themselves before God. 2 Y’hoshua said to all the people, “This is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘In antiquity your ancestors lived on the other side of the [Euphrates] River — Terach the father of Avraham and Nachor — and they served other gods.
15 If it seems bad to you to serve Adonai, then choose today whom you are going to serve! Will it be the gods your ancestors served beyond the River? or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you are living? As for me and my household, we will serve Adonai!”
16 The people answered, “Far be it from us that we would abandon Adonai to serve other gods; 17 because it is Adonai our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from a life of slavery, and did those great signs before our eyes, and preserved us all along the way we traveled and among all the peoples we passed through; 18 and it was Adonai who drove out from ahead of us all the peoples, the Emori living in the land. Therefore we too will serve Adonai, for he is our God.”
Responsorial: Psalms 34:2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.
16 (15) The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
17 (16) But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
18 (17) [The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
20 (19) The righteous person suffers many evils,
but Adonai rescues him out of them all.
21 (20) He protects all his bones;
not one of them gets broken.
2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another in fear of the Messiah. 22 Wives should submit to their husbands as they do to the Lord; 23 because the husband is head of the wife, just as the Messiah, as head of the Messianic Community, is himself the one who keeps the body safe. 24 Just as the Messianic Community submits to the Messiah, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf, 26 in order to set it apart for God, making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak, 27 in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect. 28 This is how husbands ought to love their wives — like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. 29 Why, no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes care of it, just as the Messiah does the Messianic Community, 30 because we are parts of his Body. 31 “Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and remain with his wife, and the two will become one.”[Ephesians 5:31 Genesis 2:24] 32 There is profound truth hidden here, which I say concerns the Messiah and the Messianic Community.
Gospel: John 6:60 On hearing it, many of his talmidim said, “This is a hard word — who can bear to listen to it?” 61 But Yeshua, aware that his talmidim were grumbling about this, said to them, “This is a trap for you? 62 Suppose you were to see the Son of Man going back up to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life, 64 yet some among you do not trust.” (For Yeshua knew from the outset which ones would not trust him, also which one would betray him.) 65 “This,” he said, “is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has made it possible for him.”
66 From this time on, many of his talmidim turned back and no longer traveled around with him. 67 So Yeshua said to the Twelve, “Don’t you want to leave too?” 68 Shim‘on Kefa answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the word of eternal life. 69 We have trusted, and we know that you are the Holy One of God.”]
1. In the first reading today, Joshua challenges the Israelites - who had witnessed God's saving hand as he freed them from Egypt, fed them in the desert for forty years, and gave them the promised land - to make a decision to serve the Lord or choose someone else whom they would follow. Joshua’s challenge ends with these words: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” The Israelite’s response was, “Therefore, we will also serve the Lord, for he is our God.” Today, the Lord is putting that same challenge to each of us. What is your response? What are some steps you can take to serve the Lord more faithfully?
2. The Responsorial Psalm begins with these words: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall ever be in my mouth.” Although this sounds like an impossibility based on the busyness of our days, yet it is a reminder of our need to turn to the Lord more often. Are there some steps you can take to make the words of the psalmist a greater reality in your life, even in the midst of your busyness? What impact do you think it will have on your day?
3. In the Responsorial Psalm, we are also promised God's constant closeness and protection, especially during times of great distress. In fact we are told our souls will "glory" in the Lord and be "glad". St. Augustine said a Christian should be an "alleluia from head to toe." How would you describe the ways your “gladness” in the Lord is a Christian witness to others? Is their room for improvement? In what ways?
4. In the second reading, St. Paul quotes the passage from Genesis 2:24 that is used in marriage ceremonies: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31). He goes on to say these words: “This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church” (5:32). This, of course, is the highest possible standard of love for husbands and wives, as well as for all Christian relationships. 1 John 3:16 describes it this way: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” If you are married, how do these Scriptures apply to you? Whether you are married or single, what changes can you make to better reflect Christ’s love to others?
5. In the Gospel, we meet those followers of Jesus who found his teachings on the Eucharist too difficult, and so left him to return to their former way of life. St. Peter speaks for all of us when he says: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life?” What are the situations or circumstances that can sometimes cause you to vacillate between returning to your former way of life versus following Jesus wholeheartedly? During those times are you able to remind yourself that Jesus has “the words of eternal life” and that you believe and are convinced that he is “the Holy one of God”?
6. The meditation ends with these words: “Just as he did for Joshua and Peter, God wants to show himself to you. He wants to convince you that he has a perfect plan for your life. What’s really exciting about this prospect is that when God pours his grace on you and reveals his love to you, it changes you. Of course, it fills you with joy and faith. But it also gives you all the courage and strength you need to do what Peter and Joshua did—to stay close to the Lord when the going gets rough!” What are the obstacles that can make it hard for you to believe he has a “perfect plan for your life”? What role can deepening the way you receive the Eucharist help you in overcoming these obstacles, even when “the going gets rough”?
7. Take some time now to pray and thank the Lord for his great love for you. Ask him for the grace to wholeheartedly follow him, and believe and trust in his plan for your life. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.“Lord, you are the Holy One who loves, hears, and rescues me. I believe your words. I will follow you wherever you lead me—right up to the gates of heaven!” Amen!
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