Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time / Msgr. Owen F. Campion
The Sunday Readings
The Book of Joshua provides the first reading for Mass this weekend. The book draws its name from the ancient Israelite leader, Joshua, who followed Moses and guided the Hebrews into the land God had promised them.
Fleeing from slavery in Egypt to settlement in the promised land was long, difficult and, at times, chaotic. Natural problems, such as a lack of water and food in the Sinai desert, accounted for much of the trouble. Another serious problem was the restlessness of the people who were apt to stray away from the path given them by God.
The greatest task before Moses, and later Joshua, was to reinforce the people’s trust in God’s guidance.
In this weekend’s reading, Joshua summons the leaders of the people. He bluntly calls them to be true to God.
The people respond by declaring their will to follow God. They realize that God alone led them out of the misery of Egypt. They trust that God will lead them until they are secure in the promised land.
St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians supplies the second reading. This reading often is misunderstood in the modern context, in which the human rights of women are much noticed and appropriately demanded. To understand Paul’s message, it helps to know the environment in which the New Testament was written.
The Jews at the time of Jesus had a better sense of the fact that all persons, male or female, share human dignity although the Jewish culture of the time is criticized for having a paternalistic attitude toward women.
This Epistle, however, was not written for Jews only, or just for Jews living in the Holy Land. It was written instead for Christian converts, generally from paganism, who lived in Ephesus, a great center of Roman culture and especially of the Roman pagan religion. Indeed, it was the location of a Roman pagan religious shrine, as important as Lourdes and Guadalupe are important to Catholics today.
In this Roman culture, women were little better than livestock. Elders arranged marriages. Brokers negotiated prices for brides. Love in marriage was accidental, if ever. Wives had few rights. Abuse and infidelity were to be expected. Paul’s message, then, was utterly revolutionary, calling upon spouses, male or female, to see marriage as a true union, characterized by mutual love, existing to give both spouses the means to happiness and eternal life amid the realities of the times.
St. John’s Gospel, the source of the last reading, makes a point often forgotten. Jesus never met total acceptance. He was disputed, ignored, rejected and criticized. But those who believed in and followed him found in the Lord the answers to all their deepest questions.
Thus, the Gospels, and this reading, do not end with reporting opposition to Jesus, but by proclaiming the rewards of faith.
In answer to the Lord’s question as to their faith, the Apostles profess their trust. Their absolute faith was crucial in their roles as builders of the Church. It also is important to note that St. Peter spoke for them.
Reflection
“Whoever promised anybody a rose garden?” Life upon Earth always has been hard and will always be so, whatever the age, wherever the geographic location. But no one is doomed to despair and helplessness. God provides guidance, hope and ultimately an eternal reward of peace and security.
God speaks in the Gospels, related to us by the Church, the ancient guardian of the Scriptures, commissioned by Christ to proclaim the words of salvation.
The three readings remind us that the Gospel will never universally be accepted.
Nevertheless, God’s love has come to people in need again and again. He offers us strength and guidance each day to cope with the reversals and uncertainties of earthly existence.
The Criterion will not have an issue next week due to its summer schedule. The reflection of Msgr. Owen Campion for Sunday, September 1, will be posted at www.archdindy.org/campion. †