Do You Believe?

~~~Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Joshua 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ 

~~~ Ephesians 5:2A, 25-32 ~~~ John 6:60-69 ~~~

It is the spirit that gives life,

while the flesh is of no avail.

The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.

But there are some of you who do not believe.

We underestimate the power of the words of Jesus

in our current day and age.

We foolishly believe that his words were meant

for Biblical times.

We foolishly believe the words he spoke have meaning 

only in the contest of the Bible.

We overlook the fact that his very words are

our personal spirit and life.

Without his words to keep our spirit alive

 we would not exist.

It is true that Jesus healed the bodies

 of many people during his time on earth.

It is equally true that his words healed

 the spirits of many more individuals.

Why do we not want to believe?

You have the words of eternal life. 

We have come to believe

and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.

Jesus was aware that maybe even the Apostles

struggled with this concept of sustained life in the spirit.

The Apostles eventually came to believe,

but it was very important for the long term survival

of the message for them to believe.

But what about today?

Is it very important for us to believe?

How do you personally answer that question?

We cannot rely on our bodies to confirm or disprove

the life of the spirit residing in our soul.

The body does not have the answer.

It is in the Spirit given to our heart and soul that holds the answer.

Jesus left us, through the power of his words

of consecration, his body and his spirit.

The spirit of himself, which he continually gives to us

is exactly what will get us to our place in heaven.

The life he gives us through the consecrated Eucharist

is way beyond the physical body.

The body can be mangled and destroyed

while the spirit life can be thriving and vibrant. 

As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

If you fully accept the consecrated presence of the Lord,

then how could you not decide to serve the him?

Today may you come to a deeper realization

 of gift you have been given.

The words which have been spoken to you

are Spirit and life.

He Blesses us with sustained life 

with each breathe we take.

Thank you, Jesus.

I have come to believe.

~~~Peace~~~