Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 26, 2018 - 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]Joshua addressed all the people: "If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." [Joshua] Jesus then said to the Twelve, "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." [John]
There is a story told of a rock climber who foolishly decided to tackle a sheer cliff face by himself and when he got close to the top he slipped. At the last second, in a desperate effort, he grabbed ahold of a small bush growing out of the cliff face, where he clung (like the sergeant in Beetle Bailey cartoons}! Since he was close to the top, he decided to shout and hope someone would hear him. "IS THERE ANYONE UP THERE WHO CAN HELP ME!!!!" Silence, except for his echo: "Help me....help me....help me!" Once more he shouted "IS THERE ANYONE UP THERE WHO CAN HELP ME!" A voice booms, "I CAN HELP YOU!" The climber replies: "WONDERFUL! WHO ARE YOU?" The answer came, "I AM GOD AND I CAN HELP YOU! BUT YOU MUST DO EXACTLY WHAT I TELL YOU!" The climber shouts, "ANYTHING! JUST GET ME OUT OF THIS PREDICAMENT!" The voice booms back: "LET GO OF THE BUSH!" Silence......... "IS THERE ANYONE ELSE UP THERE WHO CAN HELP ME?" We know the answer to that question!
Joshua draws a line in the sand. He has led the Children of Israel into the promised land with God's help. The challenge, as it would be for centuries, is to remain faithful to the God who has helped them or turn away to the false gods of the pagan people around them. Joshua makes firm what his choice is going to be. The people say they are going to follow his example, but we know from the rest of the Old Testament as well as our own experience in our own day, that the commitment to "serve" the Lord can be fickle. Jesus draws a line in the sand in the Gospel According to John when his teaching about his bodily gift in what we now call the "Eucharist" shocks the people. The Twelve remained faithful and our church and its sacraments are the continuation of that faith. Leadership may falter (as recent events show) but the faith remains the same. We can choose to follow gods of our own design or we can follow the faith we have received from the apostles. The news is not what the climber wanted, but if we want God to help us, we know what we have to do. AMEN