Choose

The Readings for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time make me laugh--in a good way.  The first Reading has a list of reasons why the people choose to follow God.  But in the Gospel, Peter can't think of a single reason why he should choose Jesus.  Peter responds with a kind of "I dunno."

The First Reading is from the Book of Joshua 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b.  The Gospel is according to John 6: 60-69.

Now from the Book of Faith ;-)

The people give a list of reasons why they choose the Lord:
(1)  The Lord brought them up out of Egypt.
(2)  The Lord brought them out of slavery.
(3)  The Lord performed miracles that they acknowledged.
(4)  The Lord protected the people along the journey.
(5)  The Lord shielded the people from the enemies they passed.

Makes sense to me.

Now in the Gospel, many of the disciples had deserted.  They could not think of a single reason to stay.  Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Well?"

I picture Peter hesitating a nano-second, then looking straight into Jesus' eyes, and very gently, softly, and distinctly, affirming, "I will love You forever."