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.”
The readings from the Book of Joshua and the Gospel according to John, describe critical moments in our history. With the forty year sojourn in the desert behind them, the first generation who never knew slavery in Egypt had to choose to serve the God of Abraham and Moses, or to worship the gods of Canaan.
They knew the LORD as the warrior, desert god of a nomadic people who provided for them in the wilderness, far from cities and settlements. The gods of Canaan were known to provide fair weather and fertility to ewes, cows, and women. The choice might have seemed like a simple one to the incoming migrants: mingle, settle, and learn local ways! (Isn't that what Americans demand of immigrants? "Forget your past and your identity; you're us now!)
But the LORD placed his prophetic spirit upon Moses' protege who demanded, "Decide today whom you will serve... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
The LORD would show he was not simply a god of nomadic wanderers. Those who remembered their history as Joshua did knew the LORD. From ancient times, God had called Abraham out of Ur, and Abraham had prospered. Though he had only one legitimate son by his elderly wife, that son begot a father of twelve sons whose descendents thrived in Egypt.
Today's text tells us the people courageously declared: "...we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” They would not mingle, settle, and forget their past.
Today's gospel describes a similar moment when Jesus insisted that He is the Bread of Life and his followers must eat his flesh. "Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” They left the Lord and disappeared into the backwash of history.
Catholics today cling to the Eucharist. The sacrament identifies us among Christians. We obey the commands of the LORD to "Take and eat, this is my body." and "Take and drink, this is my blood." We long for the day when we will again congregate tightly around the altar to sing God's praises and be fed by the hand of the LORD. We are not content with a spiritual (Facebook) communion that requires no courage and entails no sacrifice. We want the real thing, the Real Presence of Jesus, his physical body.
The pandemic is another crisis. It is attacking the Church in every nation on earth; the celebration of our Eucharist is hampered all over the world. In that sense it is like those crises described in Joshua and John. Just as the LORD appeared to his disciples in the darkness of that Easter Sunday evening, so he remains with us during this dark time. We wait with him as he abides with us.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.