Word to the Wise
Saturday, August 19, 2023 - Saturday in the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
[Josh 24:14-29 and Matt 19:13-15]"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 dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." [Joshua]
Joshua, son of Nun, has assumed the mantle of leadership after the death of Moses. The Israelites have not yet fought their way into the promised land because they were not unified enough. The opening lines of today's passage speaks of Joshua gathering together "all the tribes of Israel!" It's a make-or-break, line in the sand moment. If they did not have a common faith, the future efforts to claim the land would be doomed to religious in-fighting, with each tribe looking out only for its own interests. Joshua puts it simply, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." The tribes decide to unite behind his leadership and go forward.
Subsequent history shows that the Chosen People could be pretty fickle about their resolve, at least in regard to serving the Lord. Pagan practices would creep in and political/economic interests would erode the ethical content of the covenant, especially the Ten Commandments. The great prophets would continually be calling them back to fidelity.
Religious diversity can be a challenge, as history teaches us over and over again. In our own country, the age of the Know Nothing political party in the 19th century inspired anti-Catholic riots! More recently, anti-semitism has raised its ugly head. In such a politically and religiously polarized age as we live in, it can be a real challenge, especially when one adds all the allurements that a secular mentality - anything goes, do your own thing - offers. There are a lot of "tribes" in our own Catholic church, and staying unified is the task of all of us and not just of Pope Francis. Each of us can ask ourselves what we are doing about it, beginning with our own resolve and then sharing it with others. Pope Francis is, if you will, our Joshua. AMEN