We have a fundamental choice in life. Do we choose God, or do we choose something or someone else? As we hear God’s Word this week and gather around the altar to “taste and see that the Lord is good”<\/em><\/span>, let us renew our commitment to the Lord and say with Peter “<\/span>We have come to believe\u00a0and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God”<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our First Reading comes from the very last chapter of the Book of Joshua, where Joshua, in his final official act as leader of Israel, addresses the people and asks them the question we might ask ourselves: whom will you serve?<\/p>\n Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,\u00a0summoning their elders, their leaders,\u00a0their judges, and their officers.\u00a0When they stood in ranks before God,\u00a0Joshua addressed all the people:\u00a0“If it does not please you to serve the LORD,\u00a0decide today whom you will serve,\u00a0the gods your fathers served beyond the River\u00a0or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.\u00a0As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n But the people answered,\u00a0“Far be it from us to forsake the LORD\u00a0for the service of other gods.\u00a0For it was the LORD, our God,\u00a0who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,\u00a0out of a state of slavery.\u00a0He performed those great miracles before our very eyes\u00a0and protected us along our entire journey\u00a0and among the peoples through whom we passed.\u00a0Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n Joshua…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Joshua is the leader appointed by Moses to lead Israel after him (the priestly authority went to Eleazar). Joshua’s name was originally “Hoshea”<\/span><\/em>:<\/p>\n These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore\u00a0the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun\u00a0the name Joshua.)<\/em> – Numbers 13:16<\/span><\/p>\n (Joshua shares the same name as Jesus.\u00a0The Aramaic name given to our Lord when transliterated into English is\u00a0\u201cYeshua\u201d<\/em><\/span>\u00a0and means\u00a0\u201cThe Lord saves\u201d<\/em><\/span>. When this name was rendered in the Greek New Testament, the word\u00a0\u201cIesous\u201d<\/em><\/span>\u00a0was used. Later, when the Greek manuscripts were translated into Latin, it was was rendered\u00a0\u201cIesu<\/span>s\u201d<\/em><\/span>. In modern English this has become\u00a0\u201cJesus\u201d<\/em><\/span>)<\/p>\n Joshua was the man chosen to represent his tribe when the spies went into Canaan:<\/p>\n The\u00a0Lord\u00a0said to Moses,\u00a0\u201cSend some men to explore\u00a0the land of Canaan,\u00a0which I am giving to the Israelites.\u00a0From each ancestral tribe\u00a0send one of its leaders.\u201d\u00a0So at the\u00a0Lord\u2019s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.\u00a0These are their names:\u00a0from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zakkur; … from the tribe of Ephraim,\u00a0Hoshea son of Nun<\/span>…”<\/em>\u00a0–\u00a0Numbers \u00a013:1-4, 8<\/span><\/p>\n It was Joshua who led the Israelites into battle against the Amalekites:<\/p>\n The Amalekites\u00a0came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.\u00a0Moses said to Joshua,\u00a0\u201cChoose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff\u00a0of God in my hands.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur\u00a0went to the top of the hill.\u00a0As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,\u00a0but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.\u00a0When Moses\u2019 hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up\u2014one on one side, one on the other\u2014so that his hands remained steady till sunset.\u00a0So Joshua overcame the Amalekite\u00a0army with the sword<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/em>– Exodus 17:8-13<\/span><\/p>\n Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who entered the promised land who were also over the age of twenty at the time of the Exodus.<\/p>\n Not one of you will enter the land<\/span>\u00a0I swore with uplifted hand\u00a0to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh\u00a0and Joshua son of Nun<\/span>.\u00a0As for your children<\/span> that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected<\/span>.\u00a0But as for you, your bodies will fall\u00a0in this wilderness<\/span>.\u00a0Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,\u00a0suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.\u00a0For forty years\u00a0\u2014one year for each of the forty days you explored the land\u00a0\u2014you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.\u2019\u00a0I, the\u00a0Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things\u00a0to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.\u00a0\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n So the men Moses had sent\u00a0to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble\u00a0against him by spreading a bad report\u00a0about it\u2014\u00a0these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report\u00a0about the land were struck down and died of a plague<\/span>\u00a0before the\u00a0Lord.\u00a0Of the men who went to explore the land,\u00a0only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.<\/span><\/span><\/em> – Numbers 14:30-38<\/span><\/p>\n The others were not granted this blessing because of their infidelity and lack of faith.<\/p>\n …gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,\u00a0summoning their elders, their leaders,\u00a0their judges, and their officers.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Joshua gathers together all the leaders of the nation to address them.<\/p>\n The place where they gather is called “Shechem”<\/span><\/em>, literally “shoulders”<\/em><\/span>, because it is between the “shoulders” of Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim.<\/p>\n When they stood in ranks before God,\u00a0Joshua addressed all the people:\u00a0“If it does not please you to serve the LORD,\u00a0decide today whom you will serve,\u00a0the gods your fathers served beyond the River\u00a0or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Joshua challenges them: whom will they choose to worship? Yahweh or some other god or gods?<\/p>\n “…As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Joshua makes his declaration in the hope that others will follow suit.<\/p>\n But the people answered,\u00a0“Far be it from us to forsake the LORD\u00a0for the service of other gods.\u00a0For it was the LORD, our God,\u00a0who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,\u00a0out of a state of slavery.\u00a0He performed those great miracles before our very eyes\u00a0and protected us along our entire journey\u00a0and among the peoples through whom we passed.\u00a0Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The people affirm that they will worship the Lord and remain faithful to His covenant with them.<\/p>\n This Sunday we have the thanksgiving (“Todah”) psalm which we’ve been hearing for the last few weeks.<\/p>\n R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n I will bless the LORD at all times;<\/em>\u00a0his praise shall be ever in my mouth.\u00a0<\/em>Let my soul glory in the LORD;<\/em>\u00a0the lowly will hear me and be glad.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The LORD has eyes for the just,<\/em>\u00a0and ears for their cry.<\/em>\u00a0The LORD confronts the evildoers,<\/em>\u00a0to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,<\/em>\u00a0and from all their distress he rescues them.<\/em>\u00a0The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;<\/em>\u00a0and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Many are the troubles of the just one,<\/em>\u00a0but out of them all the LORD delivers him;<\/em>\u00a0he watches over all his bones;<\/em>\u00a0not one of them shall be broken.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Questions:<\/p>\n R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This is the same invitation we’ve heard for the last few weeks. It is the same invitation of every Mass.<\/p>\n I will bless the LORD at all times;<\/em>\u00a0his praise shall be ever in my mouth.\u00a0<\/em>Let my soul glory in the LORD;<\/em>\u00a0the lowly will hear me and be glad.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n David says that he will continually bless the Lord. The humble (“lowly”<\/span><\/em>) will rejoice in this.<\/p>\n The LORD has eyes for the just,<\/em>\u00a0and ears for their cry.<\/em>\u00a0The LORD confronts the evildoers,<\/em>\u00a0to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n God looks upon the righteous and responds to their prayer.<\/p>\n When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,<\/em>\u00a0and from all their distress he rescues them.<\/em>\u00a0The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;<\/em>\u00a0and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n God’s care of the righteous is reiterated, as well as His love of those oppressed (“brokenhearted”<\/span><\/em> and “crushed in spirit”<\/span><\/em>).<\/p>\n Many are the troubles of the just one,<\/em>\u00a0but out of them all the LORD delivers him;<\/em>\u00a0he watches over all his bones;<\/em>\u00a0not one of them shall be broken.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n A single person may have many problems, but the Lord saves.<\/p>\n The verse\u00a0“not one of them shall be broken” <\/em><\/span>is referenced in John’s description of the crucifixion of Christ:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/sup>Instead, one of the soldiers pierced\u00a0Jesus\u2019 side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.\u00a0The man who saw it\u00a0has given testimony, and his testimony is true.\u00a0He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.\u00a0These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:\u00a0\u201cNot one of his bones will be broken,<\/span>\u201d<\/em> – John 19:34-36<\/span><\/p>\n John’s usage of the psalm in this way perhaps hints that to be “deliver[ed]”<\/span><\/em> by the Lord does not necessarily mean that we are excused all pain and suffering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This passage is worth better and further explanation than what I provide here. However, since in the JP2 Group we will not be studying the Second Readings for the next few months, my commentary here will be brief.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n For the last few weeks we have been working our way through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. \u00a0Paul has been exhorting the Ephesians. He has spoken\u00a0of unity in the Church, spiritual renewal, virtue, vice and Christian living. This week he focuses upon the Christian husband and wife.<\/p>\n Brothers and sisters:\u00a0Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.\u00a0Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.\u00a0For the husband is head of his wife\u00a0just as Christ is head of the church,\u00a0he himself the savior of the body.\u00a0As the church is subordinate to Christ,\u00a0so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.\u00a0Husbands, love your wives,\u00a0even as Christ loved the church\u00a0and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,\u00a0cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,\u00a0that he might present to himself the church in splendor,\u00a0without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,\u00a0that she might be holy and without blemish.\u00a0So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.\u00a0He who loves his wife loves himself.\u00a0For no one hates his own flesh\u00a0but rather nourishes and cherishes it,\u00a0even as Christ does the church,\u00a0because we are members of his body.\u00a0For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother\u00a0and be joined to his wife,\u00a0and the two shall become one flesh.\u00a0This is a great mystery,\u00a0but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n Brothers and sisters:\u00a0Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This is so often seen as a controversial passage, but I would suggest that it’s not seen as controversial for the right reasons! Paul begins this passage\u00a0“Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.<\/em>” <\/span>That’s radical! It goes completely against contemporary thinking which exults the ego and the self. “No”, says Paul. The self-sacrificial love of Christ is to be the guiding rule in\u00a0ALL<\/strong><\/span> our relationships.<\/p>\n W<\/em>ives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Wives are to treat their husbands as they would Christ. This is not degrading or servile submission, but free and voluntary.<\/p>\n We receive our dignity from both being made in “in the image and likeness of God”<\/span><\/em> (Genesis 1:26<\/a>) as well as being united together into one Body, “sharers together in the promise in\u00a0Christ\u00a0Jesus”<\/em><\/span> (Ephesians 3:6<\/a>):<\/p>\n \u201cThe union of Christ and the Church is holy<\/span>. So is the proper union of husband and wife holy<\/span>. Just as a congregation of heretics, however, cannot rightly be called the Church of\u00a0Christ and cannot have Christ as its head, so it is that the union between husband and wife cannot be truly called holy if there is a disregard for the way of life taught by Christ<\/span>\u201d<\/em> – Saint <\/span>Jerome (A.D. 436), Commentaries On The Epistle To The Ephesians, 5,22-23<\/span><\/p>\n For the husband is head of his wife\u00a0just as Christ is head of the church,\u00a0he himself the savior of the body.\u00a0As the church is subordinate to Christ,\u00a0so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The relationship between the Church and Christ is explained and Paul compares this to the relationship between husband and wife. This is drawing on the Old Testament imagery of God’s “courtship” of His people:<\/p>\n For your Maker\u00a0is your husband\u00a0<\/span>\u2014\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0Almighty is his name \u2014\u00a0the Holy One\u00a0of Israel is your Redeemer; \u00a0he is called the God of all the earth.\u00a0The\u00a0Lord\u00a0will call you back\u00a0as if you were a wife<\/span> deserted\u00a0and distressed in spirit\u2014\u00a0a wife<\/span> who married young,\u00a0only to be rejected,\u201d says your God.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cFor a brief moment\u00a0I abandoned\u00a0you,\u00a0but with deep compassion\u00a0I will bring you back. \u00a0In a surge of anger\u00a0I hid\u00a0my face from you for a moment,\u00a0but with everlasting kindness \u00a0I will have compassion\u00a0on you,\u201d\u00a0says the\u00a0Lord\u00a0your Redeemer.<\/em> – Isaiah 54:5-8<\/span><\/p>\n Husbands, love your wives,\u00a0even as Christ loved the church\u00a0and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,\u00a0cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,\u00a0that he might present to himself the church in splendor,\u00a0without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,\u00a0that she might be holy and without blemish.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n When people object to this passage, this is usually the verse that they skip over. This verse shows that the submission is not one-sided. \u00a0Husbands are not called to be dictators. They are not called to be oppressive. Husbands are to treat their wives in the same way that Christ treats the Church. That’s huge! Recall to mind everything that Christ endured for the love of His Bride! Husbands are called to imitate this.<\/p>\n There were\u00a0washings\u00a0involved in the Jewish marital customs. However, the context of the Church the “cleansing her by the bath of water with the word”<\/span><\/em> refers to Baptism:<\/p>\n \u201cBy what \u2018word\u2019 is she \u2018washed?\u2019 \u2018In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\u2019 He did not simply bathe her; He adorned her, making her glorious, having no spot or wrinkle or anything lacking. Let us not seek from the wife something she does not have to give. For you see the pattern: the Church has received everything from Christ\u201d<\/em> – Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392-397), Homilies On The Epistle To The Ephesians, 20,5,27<\/span><\/p>\n So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.\u00a0He who loves his wife loves himself.\u00a0For no one hates his own flesh\u00a0but rather nourishes and cherishes it,\u00a0even as Christ does the church,\u00a0because we are members of his body. \u00a0For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother\u00a0and be joined to his wife,\u00a0and the two shall become one flesh.\u00a0This is a great mystery,\u00a0but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.\u00a0<\/em><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Husbands are to treat their wives as they would their own body. In the book of Genesis it even speaks of husband and wife being “one flesh”<\/span><\/em>:<\/p>\n That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united\u00a0to his wife, and they become one flesh<\/span><\/em> –\u00a0Genesis 2:24<\/span><\/p>\n St. Paul says that marriage between a man and woman is an embodiment, a visible sign of the union of Christ with His Church. This is why we call marriage a Sacrament (The Latin word for “mystery”<\/span><\/em> is “sacramentum”<\/span><\/em>).<\/p>\n Next week we return to the Gospel of Mark. This week, however, we hear the concluding verses of John 6 which contains the “Bread of life\u00a0discourse”<\/span><\/em>, the chapter which we’ve been working through for the last few Sundays. Jesus is in the Synagogue of Capernaum, a\u00a0year before Good Friday.<\/p>\n After recognizing Jesus as someone great (John 6:14<\/a>) , the crowd hear Jesus say that He will raise them to life (John 6:44, 47<\/a>) and that He is the bread of Heaven (John 6:51<\/a>). His hearers find these sayings problematic, but rather than softening His teaching, He then goes on to say that one must eat His “flesh”<\/span><\/em> and drink His “blood”<\/span><\/em>, that His flesh is “real food”<\/em><\/span> and His blood “real drink”<\/span><\/em> (John 6:55-56<\/a>). This last part proved too much for some…<\/p>\n Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said,<\/span>\u00a0“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”<\/span>\u00a0![\"\"](\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Good-Choice-Bad-Choice.jpg\")
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\nReading I: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b<\/h3>\n
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\nResponsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21<\/h2>\n
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\nReading II: Ephesians 5:21-32<\/h3>\n
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\nGospel: John 6:60-69<\/h3>\n