Making lists – we are quite used to this exercise!
The rhythm of our daily lives is so fast that we feel we cannot always rely only on our memory.
To make sure that we do not forget anything – anything important and even less important – we make lists!
Lists of… things to do, items to buy, phone calls to make, people to 
meet, tasks to carry out, etc.
Have you ever thought of making a list about… what God has done for you?
This question may cause much surprise to some people reading these lines, but…
This could be a very interesting activity and one that leads to some enriching discovery!
In the 1st reading of today’s celebration, we see the people of Israel doing exactly that (Joshua 24:1-2,15-18).
Prompted by Joshua to say if they want to commit themselves to serving the Lord God,
they reply with precisely this: a list of what God has done for them over the years.
“It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt,
from that land of slavery,
and performed those great signs before our eyes.
He protected us on our entire journey
and among all the nations through which we traveled.
And the Lord drove out before us all the nations”.
The people have become aware that the freedom they now enjoy has been given to them by God.
The security that is theirs, they have received from God, a gift from his loving care.
So, they commit themselves to serving him, and being faithful to what he asks from them.
“We will serve the Lord; for he is our God”.
At this point, I pause and… I start looking back…
Looking at all that I, and those dear to me, enjoy in terms of good health, success, security…
– the protection from accidents,
– the recovery from sickness for myself and those near to me,
– the unexpected return of a fugitive child,
– the helpful encounters with some people,
– the escape from a dangerous situation,
– the successful resolution of a conflict with a colleague,
– the positive results of a college exam,
– the happy conclusion of a business deal, etc.
The personal list of each one can go on… and it may get longer from day to day…
Then, should not our commitment also grow in thanksgiving to the Lord and faithfulness to him?…
Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/21e-dimanche-de-lannee-b-2024/