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August 21, 2021Reflection for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time: August 22, 2021
Joshua 24:1-2a,15-17,18b: When Joshua questioned the 12 tribes of Israel about which God, whom they would serve, he could ask us the same question, or we could ask it of ourselves. Most of us would quickly reply that we would serve the Most Holy Trinity. A better question might be, “where does serving the Trinity rank in our other “expenditures” of time, attention, money, efforts and resources? Do we spend as much time and money and resources on spiritual and/or Church pursuits as we do on sports, entertainment, fashion, leisure pursuits or attainment of possessions? Do our lives reflect the fact that we were placed here on earth to love and serve God in others, and not just to serve ourselves? We need to strike a healthy balance. How are we doing at that?
Psalm 34: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” Let’s stay on the subject of how we’re doing in our lives with accomplishing our purpose here on Earth to love and serve the Lord. Are we serving God by worship of him, and/or via serving Him by serving His people? As this psalm illustrates, are we spending time to pray and give thanks to God; worshiping and praising God and giving thanks for all the blessings we enjoy? Are we working to promote justice and peace and humans’ rights to life and liberty or do we leave that to others; thinking we’re too busy, too old, or perhaps, too sick to help? Well, we can always help through prayer! Also, do we make efforts to help, comfort and encourage others around us who are suffering, physically, emotionally or spiritually? Remember, that when we do so, it’s as if we’ve done it for Jesus, Himself!
Ephesians 5:21-32: St. Paul affirms that our purpose here on Earth is to love and serve God, by loving and serving one another. We are called to be “subordinate” to one another. That means, putting others’ needs above our own. Being subordinate means to let go of selfishness and stop prioritizing ourselves so much. Putting others first can be the “miracle key” to free us from a “cultural spiritual prison” of greed, jealousy, unhealthy competition and obsessive preoccupation with trivial pursuits that can be more self-serving and less “life-giving.” Some hobbies and leisure pursuits in our lives are healthy and good. We just have to keep them in perspective. They’re not the MOST important things.
St. Paul’s words can be taken out of context to mean that wives are somehow “inferior” or “lower” than their husbands. This couldn’t be more untrue. Look how Paul follows his call for wives to be obedient, by telling husbands to love their wives… “as Christ loved the Church…” Jesus gave His very life, before and during His Passion and death on the Cross! Husbands are thereby called to be models of love, compassion, empathy and service, NOT bossiness or machismo. We have the strongest and most perfect role-model in Jesus!
John 6:60-69: Today’s Gospel also asks how we’re doing loving the Lord. Do we believe and respect the fact that Jesus IS the Bread of Life; TRULY PRESENT in the Eucharist? Recent surveys show that most Catholics DON’T believe that Jesus is present in the Sacrament. How sad and how serious this is! Unbelievers will likely leave the Church. Like today’s Gospel, “many disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him.” What God are these people now serving? Again, what God are we serving? Pray for answers.
Lovingly,
Deacon Matt