Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • August 20, 2021 5 9274 Hwy 49/Airport Gulfport, MS 39503 228-863-5525 1-800-880-2446 FAX: 228-863-9612 www.butchoustalet.com A Zits comic presents a scene where Jeremy, the teen protagonist who is usually lazy and parent- dependent, asks his iend Hector if he is going to work during summer break. Hector replies, “Yeah, landscaping” But Hector continues, “I wrote a business plan, borrowed money for equipment, designed and printed business cards, put up a website, and started an email marketing program in March.” Then asks Jeremy, “What about you?” Jeremy answers, “Yeah, I’m thinking about doing something too.” While Jeremy had good intentions, Hector displays the better part of knowing something needs to be done and doing everything necessary to bring it to uition. Joshua, the protagonist in our first reading, was a faithful servant of the Lord under Moses during the forty-year exodus of God’s chosen people om slavery in Egypt. He accompanied Moses up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments and was at Moses’ side in the desert to pronounce judgment against those who worshipped a golden calf. He then succeeded Moses to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land and continued to champion Israel’s development as a nation under God’s covenant umbrella. With the infidelity of past generations behind them, these relocated Israelites enjoyed rest om enemies that the Lord helped them conquer. Now their task was to build a nation under God in the lands of their conquest and guard against compromising their lifestyle to pagan influence. Our reading today records Joshua’s dying words as he reminds the Israelites of God’s fidelity and goodness, and challenges them to act justly, walk humbly and commit to serving the Lord the rest of their days. Joshua drew a line in the sand with God on one side and complacency, sin, and self-indulgence on the other. He said, “decide today whom you will serve ... as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24: 15). The people responded positively to Joshua’s offering their good intentions, “We will also serve the Lord, for he is our God.” Here are five lessons om today’ s first reading: 1. Regardless of how far people have drifted in their infidelity against the Lord or how impossible the prospect of their turning back may seem, God will always raise up a leader, a champion, a strong faith example to show the rebellious the way back. Every one of us can be that person within our sphere of influence. You can have good intentions or just do it. 2. Fidelity to the Lord demands acts of renewal. Recall and renew your commitments to God and one another. Through equent Confession and reception of the Eucharist, living the Creed recited at Mass, and acts of forgiveness, love, and service we declare our intent. Lip service will get us nowhere. 3. Extend God’s invitation to a higher order of living. The people Joshua addressed knew God’s awesome power and that no other force could compete with the Lord, so Joshua does not threaten, but appeals to reason to support his call for their commitment to God. Will you use the same reasoning to convince yourself and others to act rightly? 4. Joshua doesn’t ask anything that he himself is unwilling to do. In fact, he boldly offers himself as a living example that can be followed. They could scrupulously examine Joshua’s life and know his declaration to serve the Lord is genuine. This living example affirms that a strong model of faith is the best evidence we can offer. 5. The people affirm their choice to follow the Lord by recalling all that God has done for them. When we find ourselves at an important crossroad of turning faith to action will we recall all that the Lord had done for us, and thereby be aided to make the better choices? Today’s Psalm response, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” invites us to enter more deeply into the life of the Church. Do I bless the Lord at all times and is His praise always in my mouth? Is my life witness strong enough to convince someone to commit their life more seriously to knowing, loving, and serving the Lord? Today’s gospel concludes the six-week cycle of Jesus as the bread of life in John chapter 6. We already heard that onlookers and distant followers turned away om Jesus when He insisted that to have life, they must eat His flesh and drink His blood. But in today’s reading it is disciples who walk away om Jesus. For a moment it seemed as though the entire mission of Christ was in jeopardy. Would the wonder of Jesus end now? Would He be like other self- proclaimed “messiahs” whose followers abandoned and never returned? Would the twelve apostles also leave, and His ministry be on hold for a time, and would He be forced to rebuild om scratch? The answer to each of these questions is, “No.” For amid the exiting stampede of unbelief comes Peter’s voice of faith, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” Peter’s reply, in effect says, we can trust Jesus, believe His word, and know with certainty He can accomplish the impossible and desires only that which will be most edifying for our lives. Closing Comments: The Church’s living stones are built on professions such as Joshua’s and other heroes of faith om Abraham to Paul and the twelve apostles (include your favorite saint here). The question for us today is, what is behind the deeper commitment of such giants of faith and how can we emulate them? Ronald Rolheiser, in his book, The Holy Longing writes; “We all have a fire that burns within us. “ This fire can be our pursuit of riches, power, pleasure, status, or a quest for a deep spiritual relationship with God. Rolheiser continues, “What we do with that fire, how we channel it, is our spirituality. Joshua said, “Decide today whom you will serve!” Jesus said to the twelve; “Do you also want to leave?” We can only put God off for a limited time and we do not know when that time limit will end. Take the Lord at His word. Submit to the Lord’s will for your life because He has a better plan for you. Make choices that favor God’s will and not yours. Then get out of the way and watch what He will do. Deacon Ralph Torrelli lives in Hattiesburg and is assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Visit his web- site: www.homilypearls.com. 1st Reading: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17,18b Psalm: 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19,20-21 2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:21-32 Gospel: John 6:60-69 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Good intentions? Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries