Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Josh 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32; John 6:60-69]"Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
In the state of Texas where I live, a place called "the Alamo" has a special significance. It was a former Catholic mission compound that had become a kind of fort in which a group of men who were seeking independence from Mexico took refuge and prepared to fight off a much larger force. At somepoint the decision to stay or to leave had to be made. According to the legend, a leader drew a line in the sand and invited those who wanted to stay and fight with him against the Mexican army to come and stand on his side of the line. I cannot be certain if this incident is the origin of the expression in English, "a line in the sand," but it is the story I think of when I realize that a certain belief or action requires a definitive choice. The first scripture from Joshua and the passage from the Gospel of John today speak of this kind of choice.
Joshua has led the Chosen People across the Jordan and now they have a choice to stay together or become divided in their religious allegiance. Joshua challenges them and concludes with these simple words: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." The people make their choice: "Far be it from us to forsake the Lord for the service of other Gods...." This decision unites them in faith and purpose. A similar moment occurs in the Gospel of John. Chapter six of this gospel makes very explicit what is contained in the Last Supper accounts and in St. Paul's teaching (1 Cor. 11:23-26) when Jesus says to his disciples: "This is my body...." The Gospel of John places this teaching in a different context and shows that when the church began to proclaim this truth, there was resistance, even from those who considered themselves disciples: "Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, 'This saying is hard; who can accept it?'"
The truth about the presence of Christ in our midst in a personal and physical way in the Eucharist is at the center of our faith. He is not a symbol but a person. He has promised to be with us and this is the best fulfillment of that promise. When we "receive communion" we are not only united with him personally, we are also "in communion" of faith with one another. We are told: "As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him." This is where they and we face a "line in the sand." AMEN
config
view
logs
4096.0 KB
69 ms
4
