Jesus Cause of Division
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lk 12: 49 – 53
Introduction
In our reading today, Jesus tells
us that he has come to set the earth on fire! These are strange words especially
if taken literally in today’s context. But it just tells us how passionate
Jesus really is in renewing the face of the earth. However, such desire to
renew the earth comes at a price especially at the heavy price of breaking up relationships
that matter most to his followers.
The Gospel
“I have come to set the earth on
fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 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.”
Reflection
Today’s reading invites us to
reflect on Jesus’ mission which is to set the earth on fire! Fire has always
been a symbol of God’s word in both Old and New Testaments. God’s word is like a
fire that lights and brightens everything that surrounds it. But fire also has
the capacity to ignite and set everything ablaze, reducing everything it
touches into either cinder or purified material. God’s word, just like fire,
can either light up one’s life or purify one’s soul.
Jesus came to do both. Jesus brings
fire to light up our life, showing us the right path to take. But Jesus also brings
fire that purifies and uncovers the inner workings of the human heart, thus revealing
and exposing the heart for what it is.
These twofold mission of Jesus,
of bringing light and purification makes him to many, a dividing figure. While
some people find light and a new kind of life in Jesus, others find in him, espousing
a completely different world view that doesn’t fit into their present
lifestyle. Consequently, they reject everything that Jesus proposes and at
times violently oppose those who advocate or preach his teachings.
Rightly has Jesus described his
mission to his disciples, telling them that he did not come to bring peace, but
division; a division so deep that it cuts and tears apart tightly-knit family relationships
and acquaintances.
Such division was witnessed by the
early Christians, who in following Jesus, suffered persecution and even death
from those who rejected the message of Jesus. There were even times when their
own family members persecuted them and handed them over to authorities who
eventually punished them because they were followers of Jesus.
But even in our own present
context, we see this division even within the church itself; Christ’s own body
torn into a fractious community. This division becomes clear especially when some
of us promote violence instead of peace; when we prefer to use insulting
language instead of being meek; when we choose to exalt ourselves over others
instead of remaining humble; when we
continue to fan the flames of intrigue and infighting instead of becoming
peacemakers; when we discriminate instead of being inclusive; when we judge
others instead of understanding and being considerate to people. The division
that Jesus talks about happens even in God’s own household, where brother turns
against a brother, a sister against a sister, priests against their own parish
and priests against their own bishops.
This gospel wants us to look
inside of us to see if the light that Jesus wanted to set ablaze has indeed
been lit inside of us; whether Jesus’ own light has made us into light for
others or has only caused more divisions within the community because we refuse
to be purified by God’s purifying fire.
We pray the Spirit to set our
hearts ablaze so that we too may learn to bring fire on the earth like Jesus.
Prayer
Dear Lord, when I see the
divisions within our community, I see that the fire that you wanted to bring to
us hasn’t really purified our hearts. Our sins continue to cause so much
division even among those who are close to us, and even within our own Christian
community. Come Spirit, set our hearts ablaze with your love so that we may
bring the light of Christ to our world. Amen.
“ They saw tongues like flames of a fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit…” – Acts 2: 2- 4
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