August 19, 2007
The 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Luke 12:49:53
Peace Through Division?
If you're anything like the majority of people, you probably don't enjoy war. Battles and conflicts can be fascinating to read about but in reality they destroy lives and often accomplish very little. Sometimes when we look back at history we can find a few instances of necessary battles. A threat was realized and people reluctantly responded to defend themselves, often sacrificing their own lives so that their children or loved ones could live in peace.
A very popular book that recently came out said this:
"Sometimes you've got to think about more than your own safety! Sometimes you've got to think about the greater good!"These words may seem idealistic, the kind of thing you'd only find in a great story, but they ring true. When we truly discover our passions and beliefs, we realize that we may have to sacrifice parts of our life in order to accomplish our goals. In the end, there are things worth standing up for, things worth dying for.
Jesus' words in the gospel today can be extremely confusing. In contrast to his usual teachings about love and peace, Jesus seems to be saying the exact opposite. He actually says he brings division to the earth rather than peace!
There are several ways to interpret what Jesus says. We can take it to mean that Jesus is okay with violence. In Matthew's version of this passage Jesus even says he has come to bring the sword instead of peace! Other interpretations might even say that Jesus wants us to neglect our own family members.
In reality, we cannot believe that Jesus is endorsing violence in any way. The rest of the gospels show exactly how much he desires peace. We have to believe that Jesus realized the effect his radical message would have on people. He knew that beliefs can easily lead to violence as people become exceedingly passionate about what they hold to be true. In fact, strong beliefs are usually what set wars into motion.
So what can we actually take away from such a tough passage? In light of whom we know Jesus to be we have to realize that Jesus wants us to be passionate about building God's kingdom. However, we cannot let our desire to see God's reign get out of control. It wouldn't make sense for us to hurt other people in our quest for peace.
In addition, Jesus wants us to realize that sometimes we truly must sacrifice our easy lifestyles, our friends, our families, and even our lives in our effort to be peacebuilders. Yet, we must work for the greater good without hurting others as we do so. We must keep our eyes focused on Jesus, striving to live peaceful and passionate lives that show others what we are truly about, confident in our belief that there isn't a more just undertaking than living for Jesus.
Reflection Question
In what ways would you respond if you were faced with a situation that required you to sacrifice a relationship in order to keep living for Jesus?
Join us in our Forum to discuss these questions!
1--Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Scholastic, Inc, 2007. Pg. 568.
