Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catholic Daily Readings Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading Joshua 24:1–2a, 15–17, 18b

Response Psalm 34:9a

Psalm Psalm 34:2–3, 16–21

Second Reading Ephesians 5:21–32 or Ephesians 5:2a, 25–32

Gospel Acclamation John 6:63c, 68c

Gospel John 6:60–69

There was a boy. He was at home and he smell something good! He went to the kitchen and saw that there was a pot of food on the stove. He didnt know what it was but it smelled good. His wanted it but his Mother has previously said that he is not to touch it until she is back home. Yet it was so tempting. If only he could take a stool, climb up the stove, open the lit and eat the porridge. “Mom’s order is so hard to follow!!!” I am hungry and i want to have a taste of the food before she is back. I think it is ok cause she is not around. I can just take a stool, and climb ontop of it and reach out my hands high enough, and I can open up the lit and eat the food. - next day headlines - A 5 year old boy got scalded with 50% burnt to his body whilst helping himself to the pot of soup on the stove.

Last Sunday, we heard from Gospel of John that Jesus was teaching everyone that He is the bread of life and that anyone who eats his flesh will have eternal life. It was difficult for all listeners there! It is a NONO to eat someone’s flesh. It is wrong. it is cannibalism. This Sunday we are continuing with the same teaching of Jesus “I am the bread of life. Anyone who eats this flesh will have eternal life.”

As we heard from the proclamation, many of his disciples who were listening said : “This saying is hard, who can accept it” and they left, returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Jesus.

From your perspective, as a Catholic in the 21st century. This teaching of Jesus is easy. You get to eat the holy communion today. You get to bite and eat his flesh, which was consecrated by a priest. It is easy cause you have the hindsight of Jesus’ death, resurrection and many teachings and miracles throughout the past 2000 years on the Eucharist.

You have a different paradigm understanding of Jesus’ teaching on I am the bread of life

let me now throw to you some teachings from the Church, whom we read in epehsians that Jesus and the Church are one - in spousal relationship.

ready to hear these hard sayings? Cause let me tell you that it is difficult cause we grew up with a different paradigm understanding of these teachings:-

Having sex before marriage is wrong!

Masturbation is wrong!

adultery is wrong

Pornography is wrong

Abortion is wrong

Same-sex acts are wrong

I have said 6 wrongs and i am pretty much certain that if you were to do a secret poll on our personal views.. we will find many saying that things such as these sayings are out dated, not keeping with times or who can do all these. we are just men.

Well, let me propose to everyone here that we need a paradigm shift on the way we understand these issues!

Let me say a quick story on paradigm shift to illustrate what I mean..

There was a bus....

So..... how then do we apply this paradigm shift to these issues?

If we look at some of these teachings - pornography and masturbation, we know that there are many justifications -

It is human to have sexual desires and these are the ways we can release our desires

not good to repress sexual feelings and desires

not harming anyone - it is a solo activity

many people are doing it; it is human nature to do so.

etc

We see only one part of this issue.

Have we consider that we see each other as another body but not as a person made in the image and likeness of God?

We see people as things to use. We see our body as tools to give us pleasure.

The more we do all these, we emphasise self-seeking, self gratifying and self loving.

We read in Ephsiains that this is how Christ loved His church - He gave his life for her, he sanctify her, he cleanse her, present himself to her life, cherishes her and all.

I propose to you all that these two teachings help you to love each other, your spouse, yourself and God even better. These teachings are not outdated nor against human nature.

Rather the opposite - the church is giving you a different paradigm of love. Love is for others. It also frees you. It helps you to free yourself to love others as they are and not as tools for use.

There are many other teachings and we can go on … and I know you are already saturated. or even perhaps even now asking yourself - these sayings are hard - who can accept it?

this is the response from Jesus and the Church to you -

It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.

May we response like Simon Peter, who on behalf of all the disciples, who continue to remain in him, with this : Master - to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

let us continue to ponder about all these as we prepare ourselves for the bread of life in the next part of Mass today!

The teachings are there - there are difficult teachings - do link that the the teachings.

the paradigm shift - what is the shift - perhaps to explain the church teaching - the two dimensions - can excite so that other things.

can link the first story back

Having sexual intercourse outside of marriage is wrong.

Adultery is wrong

Masturbating is wrong

Pornography is wrong