Our first reading today is from the last chapter of the book of Joshua. One of my favorite Bible quotes is from Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. In the past I have received many presents from friends or relatives with this quote. I can not tell you the number of coffee mugs, bookmarks, letter openers and all sorts of things I received as a gift with that quote on it. [What do you get someone who has everything?] type of gift for under $ 4.
Our readings today are at the end of the Book of Joshua. He was the kind of guy the Lord would not have spit out of His mouth. He was a fierce warrior and servant of the Lord. He had one goal to serve only one God.
In Joshua 5:11-12 “On the day after the Passover they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day after they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.”
This was the start of the possession of the promised land of Canaan after crossing the Jordan from the readings on Thursday. It started at the Battle of Jericho and after the Israelite’s ate the produce of the land the manna stopped.
There was no turning back.
But it wasn’t all success. The next city to conquer was Ai and the Israelite army was defeated. They lost because they thought the city of Ai was a pushover. They only sent a portion of their army because they thought they could do it all themselves.
They left on important being behind, God.
Stop and think who these people were. The generation that crossed the Red Sea out of the Land of Egypt were all dead or too old to fight. This was a new generation born in the wilderness who had wandered for 40 years. They knew nothing other than manna. They had grumbled and complained. They were bitten by snakes and worshiped a golden calf, but the Lord was training them to depend on Him and Him alone and gave them simple rules that He expects us to follow, as well.
Last Sunday, I volunteered at our church for a back to school pancake breakfast after the first two Masses. This is my way serving no matter how small. As it turned out we had more men volunteers to show up to serve than there were positions to serve. If you volunteer a great deal this is always a nice position to be. The camaraderie and community spirit are great. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and I always receive more than I could ever possibly give. It was a great day.
Saint Thomas Aquinas has a famous quote and goes something like this . Work as if everything depended on you and Pray as if everything depends on God.
Joshua’s main message was to serve only one God. We all have sometimes worshiped other gods and failed to follow His commandments.
Every generation has to learn this lesson. Joshua’s generation had to learn it.
My grandparents had to learn it.
My parents had to learn it.
I have to learn it and I am still learning.
My children have to learn it.
My grandchildren and great-grandchildren have to learn it.
The other god could be an internet picture, or an employer paying his employees less than a fair wage or an employee taking a pen or stapler home for personal use or taking an extended break or even doing shoddy work. The important thing is that we have to make that commitment to serve the one and only God or sadly some other god.
In the gospel reading for today Jesus said “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” A child has a simple dependency on a parent, this is the same simple dependency that God wants us to have on Him. They do not have the difficulty of following the commandments that adults do. When we as adults receive the Holy Eucharist as true manna from God in partaking in the Body and Blood of Christ we become those children again. Have you ever noticed that the more times during a week that you receive Holy Communion that the closer to Jesus you get?
There is no turning back.
At Shechem the Israelite’s made that commitment to follow the commandments of God and serve no other gods. When Joshua said As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. He was not speaking for himself but his entire family. Lead by example. Your deeds are powerful. They speak volumes. You show more by what you do than say.
Refrain from the Song “Blest are They” by David Haas:
“Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you; holy are you! Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the Kingdom of God!”
Prayer request: Please pray for peace for the world today and from terror on all sides.
God Bless
Bob Burford
Readings: Joshua 24:14-29; Psalm 16:1-2A & 5,7-8,11; Matthew 19:13-15
