Joshua 24:1-2a,14-18
Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the
judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua
said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
“Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the
gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. Now if
you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods
your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose
land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other
gods; for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of
Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected
us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and
the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore
we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”
The Psalm
Psalm 34:15-22
Benedicam Dominum
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, *
and his ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, *
to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears them *
and delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted *
and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
19 Many are the troubles of the righteous, *
but the LORD will deliver him out of them all.
20 He will keep safe all his bones; *
not one of them shall be broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked, *
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22 The LORD ransoms the life of his servants, *
and none will be punished who trust in him.
The Epistle
Ephesians 6:10-20
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against
enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil
day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth
around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on
whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the
shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and
always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a
message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for
which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.
The Gospel
John 6:56-69
Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as
the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live
because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your
ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these
things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept
it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does
this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was
before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to
you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew
from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would
betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless
it is granted by the Father.”
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So
Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord,
to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know
that you are the Holy One of God.”
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