You have the words of eternal life

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Collect

O God, who cause the minds of the faithful to unite in a single purpose, grant your people to love what you command and to desire what you promise, that, amid the uncertainties of this world, our hearts may be fixed on that place where true gladness is found. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

We will serve the Lord, for he is our God.

A reading from the Book of Joshua

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
   summoning their elders, their leaders,
   their judges, and their officers.
When they stood in ranks before God,
   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.”

But the people answered,
   “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD
   for the service of other gods.
For it was the LORD, our God,
   who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
   out of a state of slavery.
He performed those great miracles before our very eyes
   and protected us along our entire journey
   and among the peoples through whom we passed.
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

The word of the Lord.

Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21

R. :

℟. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
   his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
   the lowly will hear me and be glad.

℟. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The LORD has eyes for the just,
   and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
   to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

℟. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
   and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
   and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

℟. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Many are the troubles of the just one,
   but out of them all the LORD delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
   not one of them shall be broken.

℟. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32

This is a great mystery, regarding Christ and the Church.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians

Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
   just as Christ is head of the church,
   he himself the savior of the body.
As the church is subordinate to Christ,
   so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
   even as Christ loved the church
   and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
   cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
   that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
   without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
   that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
   but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
   even as Christ does the church,
   because we are members of his body.
   For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife,
   and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
   but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Or: [Shorter Form]

Brothers and sisters:
Live in love, as Christ loved us.
Husbands, love your wives,
   even as Christ loved the church
   and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
   cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
   that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
   without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
   that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
   but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
   even as Christ does the church,
   because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife,
   and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
   but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

The word of the Lord.

Acclamation before the Gospel

Jn 6:63c, 68c

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jn 6:60-69

To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said,
   “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
   he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life,
   while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
   and the one who would betray him.
And he said,
   “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this,
   many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.
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.”

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Lectio Divina

This passage from the John’s Gospel begins with hopelessness and doubt and ends with a profession of faith. A number of those who were following Jesus began to grumble that his teaching was hard. Jesus had just finished a lengthy discourse about the bread of life, in which he insisted that, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6:53).

When they heard these words, many people felt dismayed. They were doubtful. There is nothing wrong in this. Sometimes we may have doubts ourselves. However, Jesus’ words remain clear. Because he is speaking the Truth. Jesus speaks about what truly matters. Here Jesus is referring to himself as he who will ascend to take the place he occupied before the incarnation. Ascending and descending are very important in John’s Gospel.

Later, when many of his disciples had stopped following him, Jesus spoke plainly with the Twelve: “Do you also wish to leave?” It is a decision they had to make: they either follow the crowd, or follow those who believe and follow Jesus. Nevertheless, Peter’s affirmation, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” is so powerful that it strongly contrasts with the discouragement and actions of the crowd.

Doubt can lead to faith. This is the reason why this passage ends with Peter’s momentous declaration. Our spiritual life is a journey of faith. It is my journey and your journey. Our spiritual journey is not without problems and difficulties. Through this we can reflect on our daily lives, which does not come without its share of difficulties. However, if we allow the Lord into our lives, our journey will be one that strengthens us; a journey that leads us upward and leads us closer to God.

Prayer

Lord, I’m having doubts and difficulties. It can be that I don’t always understand my spiritual experiences. Give me the strength to believe, to have faith, to allow you to enter into my innermost being. Allow me to surrender myself to you, with the confidence that I will be changed.

Peter’s powerful declaration is the affirmation of one man, in contrast with the doubt expressed by a number of his disciples. Allow this declaration to become my goal, despite the difficulties I am experiencing. Help me to remember the words of St Augustine: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

O Lord, allow me to be a faithful witness to you in this life. Allow me to be an instrument to those around me, that they may encounter the Truth and Eternal Life and to accept them. Amen.

 

Ara l-Qari tal-Ħdud li għaddew