In the Gospel and the reading from the Old Testament, we
receive the command to “choose this day whom you will serve,” as the reading
from Joshua puts it. Jesus, also, asks the disciples to choose. Seeing some of
them leave him when he teaches about eating his flesh and drinking his blood,
he asks Peter, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Whom do we choose? How can we choose? Isn’t it God’s
promise that instead of our “choosing,” we are, in fact, chosen by God?
What can make our staying with Christ Jesus possible?
These readings give us two images to hold: meal and prayer. The sermon on this
day might benefit the assembly by focusing on those two vital gifts for faith.
John 6:56-69
Since Jesus declares himself to be,
in person, the bread of life (vv 41–71), those who partake of Jesus' flesh and
drink his blood will abide in Jesus, and Jesus in them. Thus they will have
life, because Jesus has life from the living Father. This revelation provokes
questions, even denial, within the ranks of the disciples, and many of them
leave Jesus, since they cannot understand his words in terms of the life-giving
Spirit. Those who remain (vv 67–71) renew their confession that Jesus is the
Holy One of God, with the words of life. Yet even so, one of them has the
hidden role of an enemy. The scene then moves to another season, that of
Tabernacles, and further conflict, with Jesus confronting the conservative
religionists of Judea with his declaration that he is the giver of the water of
life (ch 7).
The former lection lays stress on
Jesus' declaration of himself as the life-giving food and drink, while the
latter is largely taken up with the negative responses of some of the
disciples—largely, but not exclusively, because Jesus' insistence that the
remaining disciples confront their own uncertainty opens the way to a fresh
commitment to faith in Jesus as “the Holy One of God,” even though Peter's
words do not necessarily as yet indicate a full understanding of Jesus'
teaching. Saint Anselm's “I believe, so that I may understand,” occurs to our
minds at this point. – David Tripp
Joshua
24:1-2a,14-18
The image we receive from Joshua’s gathering of the
tribues at Shechem is, again, one of choosing. The people are situated in the
land of non-Israelites, the Amorites. Will they be drawn away from YHWH? Their
response is a recounting of the Lord’s faithfulness to them in their wandering
and struggle.
[This reading] calls us to share
the decision of the Israelites to serve the God of Exodus—which is impossible
unless God grants it (vv 19–25). – David Tripp
Ephesians 6:10-20
The armor of the Roman soldier here is subverted into the “armor
of God,” the garments of the “warrior” whose power comes not from the trappings
of violence but from faith that prayer is the ultimate defense and offense.
In a couple of months, or even soon
when Halloween items become available, you do not have to look hard to find
biblically inspired costumes. One can purchase a “whole armor of God” costume
(which is basically a relabeled gladiator suit)!
I've always been bothered by the
visual way the images in this passage are portrayed without reference to the
underlying character trait to which this points—courage. I'm troubled not just
because of children being outfitted with a helmet and sword in Roman soldier
style, but because of the lack of reminder to them that to be outfitted with
courage comes from the Spirit through the Word of God, through peace, through
salvation and so on. – Cheryl Magrini
Prayer gives structure to God’s armor.
The power to pray and to maintain faith in prayer is given
through the body and blood of Christ. Joining these images is a window into the
life of the Christian. Meal and prayer: two fundamental aspects of faith.
David Tripp, a United Methodist minister,
served Salem United Methodist Church in Indiana, served in the British
Methodist ministry for twenty-eight years, and wrote in liturgics and related
subjects.
Cheryl
Magrini, a United Methodist minister is Minister of Christian Education of First
United Methodist Church - Chicago Temple, Chicago, Illinois.
Homily Service 39, no. 9 (2006): 35-42.
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