HOMILY FOR 21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: FREEDOM, CHOICE AND RESPONSIBILITY
BY: Fr Peter Gabriel Okon
Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18, Eph. 5:21-32, John 6:60-69
Pope John Paul II in his address at Baltimore 1995 stated that, “freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought”. In life, there is a time when we come to a cross-road and must make a choice in order to continue the journey of life. God allows us the freedom to choose either way to follow, but after choosing, we cannot control the consequences that follows, meaning we must take full responsibility for the choices we make.
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Israelites in today’s first reading were summoned at Shechem by Joshua for destiny defining decision. “If you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Shechem holds a significant importance for the Israelites. Amongst other things it was here that God made a promise to Abraham (Gen 12:6-7). Today, Joshua gathered the Israelites here, to tell them the truth about their unfaithfulness towards Yahweh. Here, they were to make a choice, a fundamental choice as to whom they will follow; Yahweh or the gods of the Amorites.
Like the Israelites, a time comes in our lives when we must make a choice, we cannot escape taking a stand, as we cannot continue to live in pretence, deception and delusion. Consequently, we may be struggling with our relationship with God. We want to serve God, we want to surrender our lives to Him, we want to put an end to certain ungodly habits, bad addictions, but however remain afraid, uncertain and indecisive.
Just as with Joshua and the Israelites, it might be time for us to decide whom to follow. God or the self? We might be making efforts which severally met the walls of indecision. Like St Augustine, who said, “Lord make me chaste, but not yet”, our hearts are moving like pendulum between service of God and the self. We want to flirt around first before settling for God. This was the problem with Israelites, they went flirting around with the gods of the Amorites. Today, Joshua showed leadership, and the people responded by re-affirming their commitment to serving Yahweh.
In the Gospel today, Jesus gets to the climax of His teaching on the bread of life. At this point, having consummate His teachings, the people were to make a choice either to embrace it or not. Recall that Jesus did not force any of the disciples, not even the Apostles to embrace the teaching, just as Joshua, who didn’t force Israelites to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What does this say to us today?
Beloved in Christ, God leaves us with the freedom to choose our paths in life; the path of Life or Death (Deut 30:25 ), the path of Truth or Falsehood (John 14:6), the path of Light or Darkness (John 8:12), the path of Love or Hatred (1John 4:7), the path of Obedience or Disobedience (Gen.3:12). Whatever we choose, the consequences awaits us. God, time and again sends us His prophets and Teachers to guide and assist us to choose rightly.
Through Joshua, the Israelites chose to remain with the God of their forefathers. That was a good choice, and of course, history shows that they struggled to remain faithful to their choice. That means, they had to accompany that choice daily with affirmative actions. In the same vein, if we have accepted Jesus Christ, believe in Him, we have to daily accompany this fundamental choice with adequate affirmations.
The Apostles led by Peter, chose to remain with Jesus, “Lord to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life” (John 6:69). The teachings of Jesus might be hard to swallow, difficult to assimilate but they definitely lead to life. Peter and the Apostles understood this, and chose to follow Him, so that they may live.
Like the Apostles and the Israelites, we might falter along the line, Peter remember, denied Jesus, Thomas doubted Him, but they both returned to the scheme of things, of fellowship with Christ, their fundamental option. Let us learn from them, and make sincere efforts to return to Jesus Christ, whenever we falter. Some today might reject the Truth, just like they rejected the teachings of Christ, the Church might be attacked for being the voice of Truth, but that voice will not be silenced. God Himself through all generations continue to call men and women to be witnesses to the truth, to lead generations to the path of life.
May God grant us the grace to discern the truth, choose wisely so that we may live, Amen.
Wishing you a blessed Sunday.
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