Ordinary Time: Monday, July 31, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Joshua 24:16-33

This is the famous passage where Joshua tells the people to choose who they will serve, but he and his house will serve the Lord.

We too, must choose who we will serve. It is not enough for us to want to serve God. It was not enough for us to have wanted to go to church yesterday. Did you? It is not enough for us to want to read the Word. Do you? It is not enough for us to want to serve God. Will you?

Joshua said, choose who you will serve. Will you serve God or will you serve the world. Will you obey Jesus, or will you obey yourself. Far too often we want to do right, and we mistake that "wanting" for actual obedience. Today, do you want to serve God? Then do it.

New Testament Lesson

Romans 16:1-16

This is one of my favorite passages in the entire Bible. You may look at it and say, but it's just a bunch of names. And, that is right, it is just a bunch of names.

But, these names meant something to Paul. They were individuals that had helped him, that make up the church. These names are those that help Paul do what God had called him to.

None of us stand alone. We stand with God, but we also stand with our brothers and sisters. Today, Paul reminds us of that. None of us got to this point in our faith by ourselves. Yes, we had to make choices and we had to follow, but there were teacher and preachers, mothers and fathers, all that helped us to get to this point.

Paul knew he did not stand by himself, rather he stood will all of those that had helped him to that point. So do you and I.

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 27:24-31

Pilate had a choice. He could make the right choice, or the easy choice. He choose the easy choice. Now, this was all part of God's plan, but Pilate could have released Jesus. He could have stood for something. Instead, he make the easy choice and had Jesus crucified.

Today, we have choices to make. We can be like Pilate and make the choice that will allow us to fit in with the world. Or, today, we can make that hard choice to obey Jesus in all that we do. We may stand out, we may look different. But, we will be alive.

Today, you will choices. Will you make the easy choice, or will you make the right choice?