Joshua, the leader of the people who came out of slavery in Egypt, uttered the above words as a way to challenge the people to quit being indecisive and rather make a commitment to serve the Lord. These words are very significant for us today. We might accuse Joshua of assuming too much by purporting to make a decision not only for himself but also for his household. We might wonder about the freedom his household had, if any, to make such a decision for themselves. While this might appeal to modern imagination, it seems to me that Joshua made that declaration because he knew the importance of taking a stance for the Lord, and how serving the Lord would be beneficial for his family. As such, it seems safe to say that as head of his family, he made a decision, which was in their best interest.

This weekend we come to the more Eucharistic focus in the Bread of Life Discourse in John Chapter 6. Our Lord Jesus says whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood remains in him and he in them. This speaks of union with Christ. Unlike material food which we eat and is decomposed and becomes part of us, the Eucharistic food is not assimilated by us, rather, because it is the flesh and blood of the Divine Son of God, it transforms us into himself. We become what we consume.

Although Jesus declares that the bread he gives is his real flesh and the wine his real blood, not all of his listeners accepted it. This has not changed even today. The sad truth is that not everyone will believe in the Eucharist. This is a fact. Faith is a free gift from God; and it is manifest only in those who respond to it generously.