Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b - Ephesians 5:21-32 - John 6:60-69
What meaning, direction and challenge do the readings this week give to you? What challenge to our country, to our church, to our world, to our family, to our communities? Joshua and the tribe of Judah, the reading from the Ephesians and Peter and the Apostles met their situation from their inner spirit with the influences but not domination of their issues or of their cultures. No easy challenge!
What connects the readings for me is seeing through the lens of the reality of today, not only personally but also within the complexities of our social constructs. We are living in a global reality of domination and authoritarianism - ‘might makes right.’ This is an important influence and screenshot of our times. It manifests itself in the wars, violence, and injustice in our daily news and beyond. There is a choice. For some, it is clear; for others, it is hidden by personal and cultural issues and power struggles that ensue.
A picture of the past is given to us in the readings. It is the word from within, not only personally but also collectively. Our social constructs have values, missions, and teachings within to proclaim and to live by.
The first reading from Joshua speaks of a people who chose to stay. They heard Joshua’s word proclaimed-“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” The word for the tribes went deeper and was proclaimed collectively. “God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery…“Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
The second reading needs a deeper reflection than may meet the eye. Care needs to be taken that we don’t see it as domination that is encouraged. As with all of Scripture, because of the influence of the culture of the times, we have to go deeper. Is not the message in the marital relationship one of unity, sacrifice, and love? Indeed, we can be misled by our culture then and now.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges and guides the apostles to journey with him in trust. Peter responds with what is in his heart, not from his issues of impulsiveness or a “seeing is believing” cultural response” Peter’s true inner self speaks: “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.” Peter’s true inner self is speaking.
A culture of authoritarianism and domination does not look to the inner self. Nor does it connect with the values, mission, and teachings of a person or people. Our own personal issues and emotional challenges are also a block to act from our true inner self. By looking deeper within self and to our global call or call as country, church, family, and community we are finding our collective truer inner self. What is helping is synodal listening to each other in the dialogues that are encouraged recently through Pope Francis within our Catholic Church and which we have encouraged for many years in our Religious Congregations. Politically, there is hope in our efforts to stay the course of democracy and meet the challenges which include speaking the truth to power and voting from an informed conscience and collective mission. Catholic Social teaching calls us to care for the poor, to work for the common good, and to foster diversity, equality, and inclusion. This is our true collective inner self.
Our evolving future and culture of life and not death can be hopeful. Our part is to respond as Peter did -not to leave, to stay the course, to walk the talk. The challenges, the questions, and the confusion can bring us to a better self individually, systemically, and collectively. As the Gospel says, let us believe “It is the Spirit that gives life.”
Sr. Jo-Anne Faillace, OP
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