Musings for Pentecost 13

Sunday, August 26, 2012
Lectionary 21
Proper 16
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION
In today's gospel many people take offense at Jesus' invitation to eat his flesh and drink his blood; even many of Jesus' disciples peel off. This is the backdrop in John's gospel for Peter's confession of faith. "To whom can we go?" asks Peter, in words we sometimes sing just before the gospel is read. "You have the words of eternal life." In order to take such a stand, as Peter and Joshua did, Paul tells us to arm ourselves with the word of God. We pray in the Spirit that we might be bold ambassadors of the gospel.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Holy God, your word feeds your people with life that is eternal. Direct our choices and preserve us in your truth, that, renouncing what is false and evil, we may live in you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Joshua 24:1–2a, 14–18

In the Near East, covenant means agreement or alliance. It describes relationships and is the primary word used to characterize the relationship between God and Israel. By delivering Israel, God has already begun the relationship. Joshua calls upon the people to respond.

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. ²And Joshua said to all the people, ¹⁴Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." ¹⁶Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; ¹⁷for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; ¹⁸and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 34:15–22

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous. (Ps. 34:15)

¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are up- ^| on the righteous,

and God's ears are open ^| to their cry.

¹⁶The face of the LORD is against those ^| who do evil,

to erase the remembrance of them ^| from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry, and ^| the LORD hears them

and delivers them from ^| all their troubles.

¹⁸The LORD is near to the ^| brokenhearted

and saves those whose spir- ^| its are crushed.

¹⁹Many are the troubles ^| of the righteous,

but the LORD delivers them from ^| every one.

²⁰God will keep safe ^| all their bones;

not one of them ^| shall be broken.

²¹Evil will bring death ^| to the wicked

and those who hate the righteous ^| will be punished.

²²O LORD, you redeem the life ^| of your servants,

and those who put their trust in you will ^| not be punished.

Second Reading

Ephesians 6:10–20

Like a general giving a rousing speech to troops before battle, this letter closes by calling on Christians to be equipped for spiritual warfare against evil. The full armor of God includes truth, righteousness, peace, faith, the gift of salvation, and the word of God inspired by the Spirit.

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. ¹⁵As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. ¹⁶With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Gospel

John 6:56–69

The "hard saying" that offends Jesus’ disciples is his claim that his followers must eat his flesh and drink his blood. The followers who return to their old lives know something about how odd this sounds. Simon Peter, on the other hand, knows something about the scarcity of living, gracious words. He asks the most important question: "To whom shall we go?"

⁵⁶Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." ⁵⁹He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. ⁶⁰When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" ⁶¹But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? ⁶³It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. ⁶⁵And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." ⁶⁶Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" ⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Reflection

"Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

These words of Peter, this understated confession of faith, have always stood at center of my life and hope on the journey. Here Peter recognizes what others fail to see, that this man Christ is the one, the messiah promised of old and that there are no other options in place. While others turn away Peter solidifies his stance, his following and his belief in this one from whom others less than pleased.

You may recognize these words as part of our liturgy; they are found in the Gospel acclamation often sung as the Gospel processes to the middle of the congregation to be read. They speak to the incarnation of Christ, the word become flesh, as it become flesh in our midst in its reading. They remind us that Jesus is the one who offers what we most need in this life; that is life. He is the source of our strength and hope, the foundation on which we build, the promise of eternity.

To whom else would you go? From time to time we try other gods, other avenues for relief and hope, other places and people for what we need. Yet when all else fails God remains firmly planted as the Word that gives life and nourishment and love. “We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Thanks be to God!

Quote.

Christ is not valued at all unless he is valued above all! Augustine

Let us Pray

For civility in politics

That we might work together as a nation for the sake of the whole

For those seeking shelter and food

To be Christ to others

For religious tolerance