Cycle B - Year I:  

22 August 2021: Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Joshua 24:1-2, 15-17, 18

Second Reading:   Ephesians 5:21-32

Gospel:  Please Read  John 6:60-69 

"To make a choice for the Lord!"

This Sunday's Gospel proclamation is the conclusion of our Lord's discourse on the Eucharist.  Jesus confronts His followers to male a choice. Either they believe Him and ask for this bread, or reject His claim on Himself as the Bread of Life.  So it is decision time for His followers.

During these most challenging times because of the pandemic, there are challenges in witnessing our Catholic faith. Public worship is forbidden. So many of us may have just given up attending Holy Mass altogether.  And even before the pandemic, many Catholics failed to draw inspirations from the Good News at Holy Mass.  It is a sad observation that some parishioners often grabbed the opportunity to nap when the Gospel is being proclaimed at Mass. Do we still feel the need for God's word in our lives?

Our Lord Jesus was in the same predicament when He reveals to His listeners and disciples  that He is the Bread of Life.  The religious leaders and many of His followers were scandalized by His claim. They find His teaching difficult to swallow, and so a big number in the crowd no longer want to follow Jesus.  They ceased to be disciples and deserted Him.

 So Jesus asks the twelve Apostles: "Do you also want to leave?"

It was Simon Peter who saved the day for the Lord and comforted Him with these words: "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." (Jn 6:68-69)

Peter's profession of faith and loyalty was based on a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through the gift of faith Peter knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the Holy One of God, and he believed in His words.

Faith is our response to God's revelation.  It is the key to seeing God work in our lives. But first we have to make the difficult choice of accepting our Lord Jesus, or rejecting Him. We cannot be content with just merely drifting through life.

To believe means more than to agree.  It means to fashion our lives on the truths, on the Person in whom we believe. If we believe what our Lord teaches through His Church, then we conform our lives to His.

Sadly, many of us see religion as a matter not of faith and eternity but only of comfort and consolation.  Therefore, we seek a "faith" that will not burden or demand too much of us. So that when we encounter a teaching, or doctrine, that demands some change or sacrifice, for example, we draw back from it.  We excuse ourselves by claiming that the teaching, or doctrine, is "impractical" or "unrealistic".

Real faith seeks understanding.  That is why God gives us the help of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of our mind to understand His truth and revelation.  For this Sunday, the Lord invites us to receive Him as the Bread of Life.  We must make a choice: we can refuse Him, or like Peter we respond to our Lord's invitation, "Lord, to whom shall we go?"

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You have the words of everlasting life. Help me to cast aside doubts and fear and to embrace Your word with trust and joy.  I surrender my life to You.  May there be nothing which keeps me from You and Your love. Amen.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!