AUGUST 26, TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME- JOSHUA 24:1-2, 15-17, 18, PSALM 34, EPHESIANS 5:21-32, JOHN 6:63, 68, JOHN 6:60-69...... Today, God’s Word examines our decision, loyalty, sincerity, commitment and faithfulness to God. These questions must continue to ring in our hearts: Whom are we actually serving? Why are we serving God? When everything scatters, to whom do we go? In the first reading, Joshua gathered the peo ple of Israel to confess their loyalty and fundamental option for God. It was a great convention for an extraordinary decision. In the story of the Israelites, God always did the choosing but now the table was turned around. Israel (God is asking us today) was asked to choose its loyalties, something the pagan nations did not have to do because they could embrace all the gods. The Israelites were being asked to do what Rahab had done, namely, to embrace this one God and, by doing so, to reject all others (see on 2:9–11). Joshua led by example when he m
AUGUST 19, TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME- PROVERBS 9:1-6, PSALM 34, PHESIANS 5:15-20, JOHN 6:56, JOHN 6:51-58. In an age where stupidity has taken over rationality, where foolishness has taken over wisdom, where lies have taken over truth, where confused-complexity has taken over simplicity, where fake has taken over real, where mere-religiosity has taken over spirituality, where death has taken over life, where deception and dis honesty have become hallmarks of contemporary success stories. The First Reading invites us to Wisdom’s Gentle Appeal. Wisdom herself invites us to her feast to Eat and Live. Wisdom invites us to forsake foolishness so that we may have life. The psalmist continues from last Sunday in the persistent appeal to Taste and See the goodness of the Lord. The appeal to become wise is continued in the Second Reading. St. Paul admonishes us to abandon the foolish lifestyle by which many have lost opportunities to become great. St. Paul exhorts us to 1)