Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time C
August 19, 2007
Jesus The Peace Maker?
“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
These words of Jesus must have shocked his disciples. Jesus' words are not only dramatic and hard to understand but there are also a seeming contradiction. Isn’t it Jesus is supposed to be a Messiah, ambassador of peace, harmony and unity? Elsewhere in the Gospel, Jesus is described to be the Prince of Peace, at his birth the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” On Easter night Jesus greeted disciples with peace three times. When he commissioned his disciples he instructed them to greet every household they would visit with a greeting of peace.
How can these two positions be reconciled? How can we interpret the words of Jesus today? The answer is to be found in consequences, not intention. For instance in the first reading we heard that the prophet Jeremiah must be put to death because he is steadfast in his mission from God. Jeremiah is ridiculed, hated, thrown first into prison, then let down into a deep cistern by those who wouldn't listen to his message. They said it was "too demoralizing." King Zedekiah admires Jeremiah, but he is too weak to act on his advice. Jeremiah was left in a dark and muddy cistern solely because he had spoken God’s warning. He is battered and beaten as consequence of telling the truth!
Our Gospel reading concludes with examples of family unity which will be divided: 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.
This is hard and does not sound very appealing, but sometimes this is the reality. In the act of accepting Jesus, many people found themselves at odds with others, even family members. To accept Christ seriously mayh cause division and rejection in one’s own family. It happened in early Church and it still happening today.
Christ desired peace, but a faith on fire often leads to division. Many parents feel so bad about their children who were reluctant going to church on Sunday. Some parents have told me that they now try to avoid the topic of religion, Sunday Masses, Christian moral values on their children in order to prevent discussion or disagreement. There are some children go to church just to please their parents or grandparents.
On the other hand, there are children who want to pursue a dedicated Christian life but their family offer no understanding or support. There can be very strong family reactions to one member’s embrace of the faith. I remember a friend priest of mine in the Philippines telling his vocation story. He said, when he entered the seminary his father stopped talking to him. Another friend of mine, a religious sister, said she entered religious life without telling her parents because she knew that would not let her. She literally jumped over their fence the night she sneaked out from her house to enter the convent.
We come to the realization that following Christ is not a laid-back pursuit. To follow our Lord with fire in our belly can and does produce division. Jesus declares that His teachings will bring division and conflict, even within his followers' own households. To follow Jesus can produce uncomfortable results and affect our morale. The best solution is given us in our second reading from Hebrews today: let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
A true disciple loves God above all else and is willing to forsake all for Jesus Christ. Jesus insists that his disciples give him the loyalty which is only due to God, a loyalty which is higher than spouse or kin. It is possible that family and friends can become our enemies, if the thought of them keeps us from doing what we know God wants us to do.
When Jesus says he brings division to family, family could also be the world at large, our civil government and our local communities. It is the duty of the Church to transmit Christ message in our society. As the Church proclaims Christian moral values and principles she causes division.
A concrete example is in our parish take away-sheet this weekend. At the last page there is a letter from Archbishop Hart regarding the issue of a Private Members Bill, the decriminalizing abortion will be introduced into the Victoria Parliament this week. Archbishop Hart wrote: I appeal to all that we acknowledge and protect the human dignity of each person from the very beginning of life to its natural end. This means that we not only preserve the life of the unborn child, but also work tirelessly to care and support mothers and distressed by an unplanned pregnancy and anxious for their future and that of their unborn child…This legislation to decriminalize abortion will weaken eventually weaken the respect we have for life and the dignity of each person.
We know our moral stand against abortion will cause division. But as followers of Christ, it is our moral duty to recognise that all human rights ultimately depend on our love and support for the most vulnerable and defenseless in our community.
So, in this Mass let us pray that our love to Jesus may be strengthened, make him always our number one, and let the fire of God's love burn brightly in our hearts. Let us also pray for the Church, to all who endure hardship, and pain in the cause of discipleship.
Together with all the baptised, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
"Lord, may your love consume me and transform my life that I may truly desire nothing more than life with you. Make me strong in love and fidelity that nothing may hinder me from doing your will."
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