Twenty first Sunday of the Year:B: August 22, 2021

 JESUS THE GIVER OF ETERNAL LIFE

First Reading: Joshua 24: 1-2 and 15-18

Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 25-32

Gospel Reading: John 6: 60-69

   *First reading is from the book of Joshua. Joshua asks the people of Israel to decide whether to serve the Lord their God or other gods. The chosen people  affirmed their firm faith in the Lord God who liberated them from the slavery of Egypt and who in the past did great signs and wonders in their midst. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. Paul speaks of the mutual love and respect between husband and wife. He compares this relationship of husband and wife to Christ's love for the Church. As members of His body, we are constantly being nourished by Christ. In the same way husband and wife should nourish each other in love. 

Will you also go away?                                                                                        Today's Gospel reading is from St. John chapter 6. After the multiplication of bread, Jesus instructed the people about the Eucharistic bread. Jesus told them that unless they eat His body and drink His blood they will not have life. People took this teaching literally and they could not accept this teaching. As a result many who followed Jesus till that day gradually left Him and went away. After this negative reaction from the followers, Jesus put a very challenging question to the twelve Apostles. "Will you also go away?" Peter's response was immediate. He gave a very reassuring and important answer which reaffirmed the need to stick to Jesus and His teachings. He said, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." In our moments of doubts and confusion let us be assured that it is not the Lord who leaves us but often we who leave Him. Right from the time of Jesus till today, the teaching on the Eucharist remains a dividing force among believers. Even today many of the followers of Christ are unable to accept it and those who accept it are often unworthy to receive it. This is expressed by St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. "The cup of blessing which we bless-is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? We who are many are one body for we all partake of the one bread."(1 Cor. 10:16-17) Now it is  our turn to tell the Lord, ' Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.' Let our prayer always be, 'Draw us closer to you, O Lord, so that we may follow you in love and trust.'