“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” These words from Joshua remind us of our ultimate duty. Whatever state of life we are in, everything we do should be in service of and to the Lord. Whether we are single, married or in a religious vocation, our lives and actions should be directed in such a way that we give praise and glory to God.
The second reading from Ephesians often causes some consternation because of that phrase “wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.” When taken out of context, it sounds sexist or elitist. But when read within the context of the whole passage, we see that husbands and wives are partners. They mutually nourish and cherish each other in love. They are seen as supports to one another who help each other to attain heaven’s glory. The “subordination” is done as an act of service which both spouses do for each other in order to raise up the other.
When placed against the backdrop of the final phrases of the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, we note how “hard” the saying is. Jesus knows that his teaching can sometimes be difficult. Some of his followers left after hearing the bread of life discourse. Some people leave when they are confronted with the Church’s teaching on morality or ethics. But the Gospel is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging. But when we follow Christ, we have the possibility of eternal life.
I saw a meme which said something like this: the fact that there is a stairway to heaven and a highway to hell should tell you something about expected traffic numbers. In other words, it is not easy to enter into eternal life. Following the Gospel is difficult. Many people will fall by the wayside or even turn away from the teachings of Jesus. But for those who persevere, salvation is possible.
When the going gets tough will you stand with Joshua and say, “we will serve the Lord?”
Congratulations to all those who are celebrating marriage jubilees this year.
