Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Homily Video
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Homily Transcript
Decisions, decisions. Quite often times we have decisions and we don’t even know we’re making decisions. Some of our decisions that we make through life are so automatic and so kind of small or minuscule that they just happen. But then there are other decisions that we have to make that really require of us a lot of reflection and a lot of thought. Hopefully a lot of those big decisions though are often executed or carried out through prayer, through turning to God, listening to God, discerning what God wants us to do and then acting it. Listening to God, listening to him, discerning and action, these were the three themes that Pope Francis used when he spoke about the importance for young people and really for all of us to reflect upon our vocation. Our vocation, no matter what that is in life, no matter what our age, God calls us, asks us to listen to him to discern our plan and our call and to live it out into our lives, through listening and discerning and through living, and calling to action.
Today our scripture readings on this 21st Sunday in ordinary time, really provide us with a background for that idea of making the right decision. As we think of Joshua who is at a point in his life where he is gathering the people together and he is asking them to make a decision. He says, “Well as for me and my household, we are going to decide to serve the Lord.” Well with that statement of faith comes more and more leaders who will position themselves following his example. In a similar way, Jesus gathers his disciples together. He wants them to make this important decision about how they are to follow him. He’s just told them that he’s the bread of life, if they do not eat his flesh and drink his blood they will not have life within them.
So a lot of what he is saying to them shakes their faith. He says, “Does this shock you?” What will you do? What will you say when Jesus asks us to make that decision to turn to him [inaudible 00:02:28] make an ascent to faith? Many disciples turned away from the Lord and no longer accompanied him. However, Simon Peter has the right answer, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We’ve come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.” Whatever decisions we might make, let’s make that with the Lord. Let’s allow Jesus to be the one we are convinced about who is our Messiah, who wants us to turn to him and to follow him in our day to day lives, and to trust in his presence with us.
Readings
First Reading:
Joshua 24:1-2 or 15-17, 18b
Second Reading:
Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a
Gospel:
John 6:60-69
Featured Text
A special thank you this week to our friends from St. James Parish , Highwood and Christ the Servant Parish,from Woodridge and Our lady of Peace, from Darrien in the congregation.
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