Reflections by Deacon Jim

Gospel from Luke 12: 44-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

With this message, Jesus certainly has grabbed our attention. “Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
It’s not exactly what most of us come to church on Sunday morning expecting to hear.
For most of us, our families are the reason we are who we are.  From them we have learned the difference from right and wrong.  From them we have the basic beginning of our faith life and our belief in God.  Good or bad, our families are the most significant molders of our early lives. 

And after all, isn't Jesus suppose to be the "Prince of Peace?"  What is all of this conflict and division about?  Jesus is NOT talking about the rifts in the fabric of the family that happen as a result of a day to day events or even the challenges and tragedy of life that we all must face.  He is specifically talking about the division that does take place in our lives at some point due to our decision to follow him.  Sure it is difficult to read these words, especially since it is not a warning of what could happen but of what will take place because of ones choice to follow Christ.

The reality is that there is a price to pay for being Christian.  There is a price to pay for following Christ as a Catholic.  Some will walk away.  Some will put us down.  Some will look down on us as different that todays society.  Even family will take different sides when it comes to our faith in God and doing more than just giving lip service to that faith.

Jesus’ disciples answered the call to follow Christ. They learned the joy and the cost of discipleship. We are asked to do the same.  We are asked to follow Christ at all times in our lives and in the face of all adversity and all challenge.  It is not easy and as week humans we will stumble and at time fail but in the end it is our faith that must stand strong.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and the good news of even this difficult passage in Luke’s Gospel is that Jesus came to turn the world upside-right, and that the call of Christ creates a community that has something more important binding it together than just family ties.