THE GOSPEL
John 6:60-69This saying is hard; who can accept it?
Holy One of God,
you built up galaxies from nothing at all,
and wheat fields from barren earth.
You come to us too as the
grain of the land:
our bread
our life.
You
ask if
we could
ever leave you.
Well,
where would we go?
Others have no Spirit or life.
Please set our hearts on fire with your love!
Help us to always choose to love you
in every joy and every sorrow,
in all your hungry people,
in a crying earth,
always love,
always!
THE FIRST READING
Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Decide today whom you will serve.
Joshua
rallied the tribes.
“Choose today,” he said.
“What Lord will you
serve?”
O
God
of infinite
wisdom and power,
why do you let us choose?
Our decisions can wreak such havoc!
God says to us,
“I chose you.
When I created you.
I didn’t make you robots.
Now I want you to choose me.
Give me your love, freely poured out,
a deluge or morning dew.
Know I will love you
choosing.”
THE SECOND READING
Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32
This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ
and the church.
Not the bride “in love” on her wedding day,
but the mother whose love
has been rankled by
storms;
has
struggled
in painful births;
has
learned compassion––
whose children teach her forgiveness.
In dimness she strives for light.
And shows radiance
with joy.
O Christ,
make us like her.
Nourish us and cherish us,
your
loving
Church.
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from Religious Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C). This art may be reproduced only by parishes who purchase the collection in book or CD-ROM form. For more information go http://www.ltp.org