God’s Invitation Is A Call To Love And Serve

Joshua 24:1-13
Matthew 19:3-12

God is good and his mercy endures forever. In today’s first reading, we see
a saving God who is fully committed to accompanying his chosen people, from Terah’s to the Patriarchs’ to Joshua’s to our times.  Joshua gathered all the Tribal league together at Shechem and reminds Israel that, “it was not your sword and your bow,” but God who “gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.”Likewise, we too are reminded that it is not by our merits that we have what we possess, especially the most valuable nonmaterial things, such as faith, hope, love, unity in diversity, and peace, but by God who is just and merciful.

In today’s gospel, we have a discussion on Marriage. Marriage is a reflection of the Trinitarian love and Jesus says ‘’For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh…’’
In becoming one flesh, each family has a story to tell. There will be times when the wine will run out. The glass empty. Everything seems empty and dry.; no vibrancy or vitality. Nothing seems to be growing or fermenting within. The bouquet of life is void and you are living less than your expectations. So what are those in the marital vocation got to do to sustain a lifelong commitment? How is marriage going to be revitalized?

From a theological and anthropological point of view, St. John Paul II in his encyclical writing on, “Love and Responsibility “, he opines that, “Love consists of a commitment which limits one’s freedom – it is a giving of the self, and to give oneself means just that: to limit one’s freedom on behalf of another”In effect, we can say that God’s life-giving plan of creation and salvation is all about living a mutual commitment to companionship.  It is in this regard that we can say that, Love comes with great sacrifice. It demands perseverance, faithfulness and trust but more importantly, we have to pray in full confidence and trust in God. Our God-given Christian vocation is to be lived in communion with God and one another, as well as in service to God and one another.  We are to live a living commitment to mutual companionship, a sacramental communion in and through Jesus Christ-the Bridegroom of the Church. In other words, out of love, we were made and out of love, we are to live.

May Christ transforms our lives, turning water into wine through the maternal intercession of Mary; and so that which was colorless be made alive and vibrant red. That which had no taste may now tingles the tongue. That which had no fragrance now may have a full bouquet and vibrancy That which had no life starts rising to life, active, and enduring. Amen.

Fr Joseph Osho