Here we are at the end of summer. For many of us this is the time to prepare for a return to school. Others may merely be looking forward to the new TV shows starting in September. There really is not much to watch on television during these so-called “dog days of summer.” For many, it’s a time to rent those movies from Netflix or BlockBuster you’ve missed earlier in the year. At least that’s what Karen and I have been doing. This leads me to today’s question for you.
A lot of recent movies seem to deal with the “C word.” This “C word” is the focus for such movies as The Notebook or the more recent: He’s Just Not into You. And so that’s my question: Just what is that “C word” which is the center of modern romance or love stories? Yes, it’s “Commitment.” Whether it’s the very positive commitment found in The Notebook, or the lack of commitment found among the couples depicted in He’s Just Not into You.
Commitment is a very powerful concept, although it seems to be lacking in many parts of our modern society and culture. Commitment is the center of today’s reading from Saint Paul, who proclaims: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.”
It’s because of the importance of their commitment to one another in married life that this passage from the letter of Saint Paul is proclaimed at many weddings. It is for their life-long commitment to one another that couples undertake their wedding vows. The promise – and the living-out of this everlasting commitment – is, indeed, the center of the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Commitment, the long-term promise of being together as one, is actually the center of all the other sacraments. When we enter into a sacrament with God we accept that the Holy Spirit will be with us eternally. We, also, promise to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit – not only for ourselves but also in the service of others. And most importantly, we are to choose, with our own free will, to accept or not to accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit. No one can be forced against one’s own free will to receive a sacrament.
Even the baptism of an infant is administered with the understanding the parents and godparents undertake the commitment of the baptismal promises, on behalf of the infant, with the expectation the child will, later, receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit thorough the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.
At the reception of each sacrament, the individual again undertakes a personal commitment. Each time, the individual makes a Choice to make a commitment, or to avoid a personal commitment to God. Yes, the two elements are intertwined. There is the Choice and there is the Commitment. There is the Choice to say “Yes,” or “No,” to God. We heard about this Choice in our first reading today from the Book of Joshua.
In accord with the Covenant established between God and Moses on behalf of the Israelites, each year the tribes gathered to re-affirm, to re-commit themselves to the Law, to Torah, to God. In today’s reading we heard Joshua, the successor of Moses, address the Israelites in their annual gathering. He proclaimed: “If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the [Jordan] or the gods of the [non-believers] in whose country you are now dwelling. As for me and my household we will serve the LORD.” And the Israelites responded with their commitment: “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods. For it was the LORD, our GOD, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. …. we also will serve the LORD, for he is our GOD.”
We heard a similar commitment made by the followers of Christ in today’s reading from the Gospel of John, which completes our five-week series on the Bread of Life. In last week’s reading, we heard Jesus proclaim he, himself, is the Bread of Life come down from heaven and whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood has eternal life … and will be raised with him on the last day. Some Bible scholars point out that the words Jesus used might be appropriately translated as “gnaws on my flesh.”
There was no mistake: Jesus was not making it easy for those who heard him. In fact, his words were so difficult to hear that, in today’s reading of the continuation of the discussion, we learn many of his disciples murmured about what he had said. Some even “… returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”
It was then that Jesus gave them a choice … a choice to make a commitment to him or to turn away. John relates the question with the words: “Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” On behalf of the Twelve, Simon Peter made their response: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
The Twelve Disciples made their commitment. Eleven of them kept it. One did not. When given a choice, many of his friends said “yes” over and over again. But not all did. And Jesus knew this might happen. In today’s reading we also heard John state: “Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.” Nevertheless, Jesus gave all of them the opportunity to choose to make a commitment. He gave them not only one opportunity. He gave them many opportunities to make a choice, to make a commitment.
And this is an important lesson contained in our scriptures. Commitment to God – our commitment to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is not a one-time event. With our free will, we are given a chance to choose Christ each and every day of our lives.
On their wedding day, a couple makes a commitment of their everlasting fidelity to one another. Yet, each day they must re-commit themselves to this fidelity. Each day, events arise in their lives that lead to a renewed commitment. Without this daily commitment of their unconditional love for one another, a marriage can slowly die. Each day of our own lives, each of us has a Choice to make. We can follow Christ who has the words of eternal life, or we can choose not to follow him. We can make a new commitment, or we can break a commitment which has weakened over time.
We, also, have a recurring Choice to make in order to strengthen, or not to strengthen, our on-going relationship with Christ. We have a Choice to receive Eucharist, or not to receive Eucharist. When there is a rupture in our relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we also have the Choice to repair that relationship through the sacrament of Reconciliation and a renewed commitment to them, or to wander further away from them.
Yes, the so-called “C word” can be the word and action called “Commitment.” We can embrace it or fear it. We can accept it or reject it. However, there is also another “C word.” And that word is “Christ.” Yes, we can embrace him or fear him. We can accept him or reject him. Commitment and Christ. The Choice is up to you.
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time; August 23, 2009
Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Eph 5:2a, 25-32 (short form); Jn 6:60-69