21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

1And Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and he called those greater by birth, and the leaders and judges and teachers. And they stood in the sight of the Lord. 2And he spoke to the people in this way: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers lived, in the beginning, across the river: Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor. And they served strange gods.

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15But if it seems evil to you that you would serve the Lord, a choice is given to you. Choose today what pleases you, and whom you ought to serve above all else, either the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 16And the people responded, and they said: “Far be it from us that we would forsake the Lord, and serve foreign gods. 17The Lord our God himself led us and our fathers away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude. And he accomplished immense signs in our sight, and he preserved us along the entire way by which we journeyed, and among all the people through whom we passed. 18And he cast out all the nations, the Amorite, the inhabitant of the land that we entered. And so, we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

2I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will be ever in my mouth.

3In the Lord, my soul will be praised. May the meek listen and rejoice.

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16The eyes of the Lord are on the just, and his ears are with their prayers.

17But the countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil, to perish the remembrance of them from the earth.

18The just cried out, and the Lord heard them, and he freed them from all their tribulations.

19The Lord is near to those who are troubled in heart, and he will save the humble in spirit.

20Many are the afflictions of the just, but from them all the Lord will free them.

21The Lord preserves all of their bones, not one of them shall be broken.

21Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 22Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body. 24Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also should wives be subject to their husbands in all things. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and handed himself over for her, 26so that he might sanctify her, washing her clean by water and the Word of life, 27so that he might offer her to himself as a glorious Church, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she would be holy and immaculate. 28So, too, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no man has ever hated his own flesh, but instead he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also does to the Church. 30For we are a part of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. 31“For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.” 32This is a great Sacrament. And I am speaking in Christ and in the Church.

60He said these things when he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. 61Therefore, many of his disciples, upon hearing this, said: “This saying is difficult,” and, “Who is able to listen to it?” 62But Jesus, knowing within himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them: “Does this offend you? 63Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? 64It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh does not offer anything of benefit. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 65But there are some among you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who were unbelieving and which one would betray him. 66And so he said, “For this reason, I said to you that no one is able to come to me, unless it has been given to him by my Father.” 67After this, many of his disciples went back, and they no longer walked with him. 68Therefore, Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 69Then Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.