Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Recently, researchers conducting a WIN-Gallup International poll about religion surveyed people from 57 countries. The poll suggests that in the Unites States, since 2005:
•The number of people who consider themselves religious has dropped from 73% to 60%
•Those who declare themselves atheists have risen from 1% to 5%
From the Christian perspective and from the point of view of church attendance, there are numerous reasons for this decline. But there is no one single reason that stands out. Conservatives and liberals have both weighed in on the statistic. Conservatives say that that the Church is not traditional enough for people to stay true to their faith and the liberals say that it is the Church’s conservative stand that is leading many people to abandon their faith. Either way, religion seems losing its hold on the people.
This data could not have been more timely as far as we are concerned. For the last four weeks we have heard Jesus’s bread of life discourse. The first time Jesus preached these words, it lead to two contrasting responses. One response was, “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life.” And they stopped following Jesus. The twelve, on the other hand said, "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." The way I look at the readings, after four weeks of reflection in Jesus as the “bread of life,” we are being led to reinforce our own faith in Christ and to become aware of the strength of our commitment.
1. Let me begin with the first reading. The passage we are reading describes a very crucial time in the history of the people of Israel. God had barred Moses from entering the Promised Land. The mantle of leadership had the fallen on Joshua. So Joshua gathers the leaders and the people to ascertain their faith, their commitment and their willingness to stay true to the Covenant. At the most crucial time of the history of the people of Israel, Joshua invites the people to reinforce their faith in God.
One good indicator of our faith is to examine how we related to God in the crucial times of our own lives. What did God mean to us when we lost employment or when we unexpectedly lost someone we love or when we were diagnosed with a terminal illness or when our ‘so-called friends’ betrayed us? How much influence does God have when we make crucial decisions or do we make decisions on our own judgment? Where is God when there are life-changing successes like a new job, marriage, birth of a child? How we live our relationship with God at crucial times is a good indicator of the strength of our faith. I am inviting you today to take stock of your faith in God especially at the crucial moments of your life and either repent or be grateful for the faith you have nurtured.
2. I want to begin my second point with Joshua’s words, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” I want to talk about faith in the household. The second reading almost completely focuses on the relationship between husband and wife. Many people have used today’s second reading to legitimize a patriarchal society because it asks wives to be subordinate to their husbands. Granted that Paul is writing from within a patriarchal context but any scripture scholar will tell you that this passage is not meant to reinforce the power of the male figure. Paul is focusing on the Christian home. He want every home to realize that for their lives to be holy, they must have the attitude and the mind of Christ. Husbands and wives, love each other as Christ loves the church. That is Paul’s message. May every home, as Joshua says, be able to say, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Without making this an advertising for the parish discipleship retreat, I think there is tremendous value in saying that Paul is talking about the home as a place where Christ is as much in the center as Christ is in a church. Yes, every family is a little church. Yes, every home is a place where Christ should uncompromisingly reign. I am inviting you once again to the parish retreat so that you and I can say, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
3. Each day at work or among friends, perhaps we meet people who are losing their faith. Perhaps, as I mentioned the latest statistic, you know someone who is part of the 5% who moved from being believers to atheism. If one person came to you and said that they were giving your one last chance to help them cling on their faith, what would you say? If you had one chance to give your own testimony what would you say to them?
I am suggesting a spiritual exercise for all of us this week. I am suggesting this because of what Peter said to Jesus in today’s gospel reading: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” I am asking you, then, to write down your faith journey. Next week when you come to church, bring it with you. I will have a basket here. You are free to put it in this basket either at the beginning of mass or at the preparation of gifts or at the end. This is not for me or anyone else to read. I will burn them personally. But it would be your way of saying to Christ was Peter said, “Lord to whom shall we go?”
Hopefully this spiritual exercise will strengthen and reinforce your faith in Christ.
-Fr. Satish Joseph