Choose Life!

When is the last time you swam against the current? While everyone else seemed to be going with the flow, doing the reasonable and expected thing, have you ever chosen to do the thing least expected?

In this weekend's readings, both Joshua and Jesus ask there folks to take and unpopular stand, and follow them. Remember the Israelites had been meandering in the desert for forty years. They had to be tired of wrong turns, wrong decisions, fighting enemy tribes and one another, sleeping in tents, and being homeless. When they are about ready to finally enter the Promised Land of Canaan, they question Joshua's leadership again. He says to them that he and his family are going to choose the prospect of a new life in the Promised Land; and he asks the rest to follow him and his prospects for new life. I'm sure that some turned away because they saw this as another pipe dream or scheme. But the faithful followed.

Jesus has been talking scary talk to the thousands that He fed with the loaves and fish. He tells them that unless they eat of His Flesh and drink His Blood, they have no life in them. He told them that only by eating and drinking Him could they have eternal life. The Gospel today says that many started turning away from Him because of His scary speech. He asks His twelve most devoted followers if they want to leave also. St. Peter responds, "Lord, to whom else would we go. We've come to believe that you have the wards of Eternal Life." For once St. Peter does not stick his foot in his mouth. He responds correctly to Jesus.

God asks us to follow today too. No matter what our vocation is, we are called to follow God's call. If we take that call seriously, following the Godly way will always take us the unpopular and hard way. Going the way of God leads to life with God forever, but it is a daily up hill path.

Are you willing to make the tough choice?

paz,
Fr. Chuck