First Reading: Romans 6:19-23
Brothers and sisters:
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature.
For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity
and to lawlessness for lawlessness,
so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
But what profit did you get then
from the things of which you are now ashamed?
For the end of those things is death.
But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God,
the benefit that you have leads to sanctification,
and its end is eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (Ps 40:5) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Gospel: Luke 12:49-53
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.”
My initial reaction to this passage from Luke is one of incredulity. Isn’t Christ the Prince of Peace? Doesn’t He come to unite, not divide?
But, the truth is, He isn’t the one dividing. We are.
He offers peace. He offers truth. He offers love. But He can be rejected.
Nothing saddens my heart quite like watching family and close friends turn away from Christ and His teachings. I want them all to know the peace, freedom and love that comes from following Him. But they have their choice. They can choose to reject.
And sometimes that rejection involves me too.
I have had to decline the request to witness something other than the truth, even though my witness was greatly desired by someone close to me. For Christ calls me to witness to the truth above even the esteem of my loved ones. It caused a rift between us and certain topics are now taboo.
It is never easy, but we are sometimes called to choose Christ even above our parents, spouse, children, and close friends.
I’ve also watched a dear friend of mine witness to the truth and undergo complete rejection to the point of being slandered because of her witness. But she refuses to back down. It hurts; she desires reconciliation. But she would rather be rejected by her friend than turn away from the truth of God’s love that she shared with this friend.
She chooses Christ. She will not reject Christ for the love of her friend.
Sisters, this is never easy. It is not enjoyable walking out of that movie that is more a porn flick than wholesome entertainment. It is not pleasant having that conversation about why contraception is sinful. It is not fun turning down the offer to ride the rollercoasters with the rest of the family on Sunday morning so that you can attend Mass.
The road of rejection is never one we wish to travel, but we have to allow for that possibility in order to fully embrace Christ.
Our hope and anchor? That truth and love will prevail. Christ can give peace even in the midst of the storm, even in midst of division. Lean on Him and trust in His promises.
His love is constant.
Christ can give peace even in the midst of the storm.Click to tweet
Offer a prayer to God today asking Him for strength and perseverance when and if you are called to stand up for your Faith at the expense of other relationships. Ask Him to give you the strength to always seek Him first.
Laurel Muff is a creator and appreciator of beautiful things. She resides with her husband and daughters in Northern California. You can find more about her here.
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