21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B, Year II)

Readings:
Josua 24:1, 2, 15-18
Psalm 34:2, 3, 16-23
Ephesians 5:21-32
John 6:60-69

Community Word:    Jesus the living bread is our way to eternal life.
Theme:    Eternal life is to believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God.
Promise:     ” The Lord is close to broken hearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.” (Ps 24:19)

Reflection:
DO WE HAVE ANY CHOICE?

Life isn’t always easy despite the many technological advances that may seem to make it more bearable and comfortable.  We realize, as we wade through the myriad problems and challenges we face each day, that there will be times when we may find ourselves overwhelmed by the pressures and stresses of life.  On these occasions, our natural tendency is to draw on our own strengths, talents and/or skills and resources.  But our world may well come crashing down on us when all our efforts prove futile or inadequate.  Why? Because our human abilities are merely palliatives and have no real power on their own.

This was what Jesus was trying to convey to the Jews.  But there was a dichotomy in the way the Jews related to him; one one hand, they were drawn to him because of the healings and the miracles they were witnessing.  On the other hand, they failed to understand, let alone appreciate, the deeper meaning behind the wonders he performed.  They saw how the lame walked.  How the eyes of the blind were opened.  How those stricken with evil spirits were delivered from their affliction. On another occasion, some 5,000 men, women and children had their fill of food on mere five pieces of barley loaves and two pieces of small fish, with plenty leftovers to fill up basketfuls of scraps.

But when Jesus started talking of faith anchored on a deeper and more intimate relationship with him, most of the Jews balked and faltered.  Even some of his disciples walked out on him when he spoke of the need for them to eat his flesh and drink his blood (Jn 6:51-59).  To them, it was abhorrent, smacking of cannibalism.  But Jesus was speaking of accepting the fullness of his message. Jesus declared himself to be the bread from heaven, the very source of life in God and the spiritual food that helps sustain us in our journey to the Promised Land.  But the Jews either failed to grasp his meaning, or they simply did not want to bother to understand because it would require a paradigm shift in the practice of their faith.  This is not new to us, as there are times when we also fail, or refuse to believe.

As Catholics some of us go through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Sundays without really understanding the depth and meaning of the Mass.  We see how our churches are filled to the rafters on special occasions, especially during the Lenten Season.  But these same churches, overflowing with warm bodies during major Liturgical Seasons, become deserted when the season is over.  It is not so difficult to understand why the disciples fled and hid after the arrest of Jesus, except for John and Mary who were at the foot of the cross when Jesus died.  They feared that they too, would be arrested. But they found vindication when Christ resurrected and they were filled with power and authority to lead his church and spread the gospel throughout the world.   What is harder to understand is why, after his passion and resurrection, our churches are empty on Easter Monday when the defining moment, Christ’s victory over death, has been achieved.

Let it be known that there is no compromise when it comes to the practice of our faith.  It’s either we are with Jesus by believing everything that he says, or we are not.  We must either accept his word as divine, or reject it as the claim of an impostor.  It may have been hard for the Jews and some of his followers to accept and abide by what Jesus was saying in those days, because what was saying was a radical departure from what they were taught and believed. Actually, it was not that hard for the Jews to accept what Jesus was saying. Rather, what was difficult for them was to admit that what he was saying was true. Jesus promised his disciples nothing less than the full blessing of eternal life and union with God.  He is telling us the same thing today, that only in him can we find eternal life and that this eternal life is available to everyone who has faith. True faith is neither blind nor ignorant, but is a disposition of the heart that seeks to understand.  And those who find it difficult to understand can seek the help of the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to his truth, and grant us the wisdom (Eph 1:17-18) and power to believe in faith.  For it is through faith that we are able do things beyond our human capacity, and it this same faith that God poured out upon us when we were baptized both in water as children, and in the Spirit through our LSS as adults. It is this same faith that enables us to see Christ in others.

Faith is thus our response to God’s revelation of himself to us.  It is the key that unlocks our minds to understand and experience God’s plan for us.  At the end of the day, we will find out we have no other choice but to abide in him for he is our life, and he is what life is all about.

Refelction Questions:

1. How unwavering is your faith in Jesus as the Savior who restored you to eternal life?

2. Have you learned to allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to love and forgive?

Next Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
August 27, 2012 (Mon)     2Thes 1:1-5, 11, 12/ Ps 96:1-5/ Mt 23:13-22
August 28, 2012 (Tue)     2Thes 2:1-3,14-17/ Ps 96:10-13/ Mt 23:23-26
August 29, 2012 (Wed)    Jer 1:17-19 or 2 Thes 3:6-10,16-18/ Ps 71:1-6,15,17/ Mk 6:17-29
August 30, 2012 (Thu)    1Cor 1:1-9/ Ps 145:2-7/ Mt 24:42-51
August 31, 2012 (Fri)       1Cor 1:17-25/ Ps 33:1-5, 10,11/ Mt 25:1-13
September 1, 2012 (Sat)  1Cor 1:26-31/ Ps 33:12,13,18-21/ Mt 25”14-30

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.  Read your Bible daily!”