Saturday of Week 19 in Ordinary Time
Jos 24:14-29
Mk 19:13-15
“It is the Lord our God we choose to serve; it is his voice that we will obey.
Military and political leaders often have to take an oath of office when they assume a new position. There is often the intent to uphold certain ethos and values of the organisation which they belong to. However, I have noticed that as practising Christians, there is no “oath of office” but instead we are called to live out the values and beliefs in which Jesus has called us on the day of our Baptism.
The Israelites in the First Reading swore to believe in the Lord our God. The words that they used were dedicated and serious; they were willing to serve the God who brought them out of slavery. Joshua instructed them to give their hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel. Indeed this line is worth for us to ponder upon in our lives. It is not in the actions we embark or the words we say that matter but rather it is the motivation of the heart which serves as the centrepiece from which everything flows out. We live in a world which looks for authenticity and empathy. These can be found amidst men and women of good will but for us as Christians, it is an opportunity to demonstrate the love which we have experienced from Jesus. It is only in having the experience of Jesus that we can draw strength to help the people around us.
As we continue with our lives, it is easy to fall into the trap of following the ways of the world. We need to avoid the danger of compromise and ensure that we remain faithful to the Church’s teachings. This can be done through the frequent reception of the Sacraments and to have a prayer life which allows us to discover what it means to stay in touch with Jesus. Perhaps speaking to a spiritual director will help us identify areas of our life where we need to offer up to Jesus. In all the actions which we do, may we discover the importance of putting Jesus in the centre of all that we do. This will allow us to go beyond fulfilling an oath of office like political leaders but to live our Baptismal promise to God and be living examples to all the people around us.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
Prayer: Dear Jesus, let us serve you wholeheartedly. Allow us to focus on your Divine Love and not let the ways of the world distract us.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for all who have pointed us towards Jesus when we were down.
OXYGEN 
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