Readings: Joshua 24:1-13; Psalm 135; Matthew 19:3-12
In the first reading, we have Joshua’s address to the people of Israel. He reminded the Jews of the call of Abraham, his migration to Canaan, the movement of Jacob and his children to Egypt, God’s deliverance from the oppression and shame of slavery in Egypt, their deliverance from the machinations of Balak and Balaam, the capture of Jericho and the defeat of the Canaanite nations and their eventual settlement on a land they can never deserve.
I was very impressed when I read the address of Joshua; it was more like Moses talking still. We can see how within a short while, Joshua has been blessed with all the courage, wisdom and charisma he needed as a leader. God called him despite his weaknesses and inexperience and qualified him. The life of Joshua is an assurance to us that when God calls us He justifies His calls. He gives the ability and grace.
Message two: The essence of recalling God’s goodness to the Israelites is to teach them to be grateful and loyal. That is, the God who has been so kind to you deserves your love and worship. This is similar to what Moses did with the people of Israel, reminding them of God’s goodness to inspire them to loyalty.
Today, I suppose we could reflect on gratitude. We could reflect on gratitude to all those people through whom we have experienced the love and help of God.
In our life’s journey, God puts several people on our way to help us, to form us, to be channels through which we can experience God’s love, people sent by God to raise us when we are falling, to show us God’s way, to build us, to prepare us for the life God intends for us.
There are people we ought not forget so easily but sometimes we tend to forget too quickly. Today, Lord is inviting us never to forget kindness or take them for granted, never to forget God-sent people in our lives and show them our appreciation. For those we cannot reach, our prayers could reach them wherever they are.
In the gospel of today, Jesus re-emphasized the sanctity of marriage. God intended marriage to be indissoluble as a reflection of His love for His people.
Ingratitude, failure to identify and appreciate each other’s sacrifice is a major cause of marriage breakdown
Spouses could learn to be more grateful to God and appreciative of each other and not take the other’s sacrifice and kindness for granted. Every successful marriage is also an expression of gratitude to God who instituted marriage for the good of mankind.
We pray today for all those who are having challenges in their marriages, may God give them to grace to resolve it and live together in peace again.
For all those divorced and remarried that they may be strengthened by God’s love and his healing grace.
And that all of us may learn to be grateful to God and to one another.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on August 16, 2019