Journeying: 21st Sunday Ordinary B – The Joshua decision. No turning back.

Life is made up of tough decisions. Deciding in favor of something or someone is one thing but strive to be faithful to that decision is more crucial. Like marriage: It’s a decision a couple takes yet it’s a lifetime of trying to stay faithful to each other. That’s why Paul in his letter to the Ephesians says: “Wives be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. Husbands love your wives as Christ loves his Church.” (Eph.5:25)

There is a story which goes that at the end of time when all the couples were standing in line waiting to get into heaven, the angel Gabriel appeared and said,

“Ok now, I want all the men to form two lines. Men you have to decide where you will stand. One line will be for the men who were the true heads of their households. The other will be for the men who were dominated by their wives.”

Gabriel continued, “ Oh and we need all of the women to report to Mary and Martha on the other side of the gate please.” The women left while the men hurriedly formed two lines. The line of men who were dominated by their wives was seemingly unending. The line of men who were the true head of their household had just one man standing in it.

Gabriel said to the first line, “You men ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You were appointed to be the heads of your households and you have not fulfilled your purpose. Of all of you, there is only one man who obeyed.” Then Gabriel turned to the lone man and asked, “Tell us, how did you decide to stand alone in this line?”

The man sheepishly replied, “My wife told me to stand here.”

Joshua told the Israelites that they had a decision to make. They can only stand in one side or the other. “Choose this day whom you will serve. The gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Js. 24.15) Joshua made a decision and to that decision he wished to be faithful till death.

In the gospel is a similar story where the disciples had decided to follow Jesus. But then when Jesus tells them: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” For the Jews there are already a lot of food that is forbidden to be eaten (they can’t eat pork, or blood, and many other things- food has to be kosher- conforming to the regulations of kashrut -Jewish dietary law) and here comes Jesus offering his very own flesh. Of course you will hear the disciples saying: “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” And one by one you see disciples headed towards the exit turning his back on Jesus. Until finally Jesus turns to twelve and asks: “Do you also wish to go away?” And Peter speaks for them reminiscent of Joshua: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” He answers Jesus: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (Jn.6:60-68)

Have you ever heard of the song: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus?” This is a traditional folk tune from Assam, Northeast India.

According to Dr. PP Job in his book “Why, God, Why?” the lyrics of this song was based on the last words of a dying man. It was said that around 150 years ago a Welsh missionary converted a man, his wife, and his children to Christianity. Angered by this, the village chief demanded that the man renounce his faith, but he would not. Instead he spontaneously sang the now-famous words, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back.” Reportedly, the chief ordered his archers to kill the man’s two children; but the man sang, “Though no one joins me, still I will follow.” The archers shot his wife, but still the man refused to deny Christ, and he was executed while singing: “The cross before me, the world behind me.” The chief was moved by this heroic bravery. ‘Why should this man, his wife and two children die for a Man who lived in a far-away land on another continent some 2000 years ago?’ the chief asked himself. With tears in his eyes, the chief declared, “I too now belong to Jesus Christ!” and the entire village converted.