Gospel of 13 July 2020
Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 10:34-11:1
It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.
‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.
‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’
When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
Reflexion
Some people come to the Christian Faith to look for peace, and make no mistake - they will find peace here. But we can’t deny that faith also disturbs us and continually upsets the comfortable status quo of our very existence. Faith is meant to burst into our enclosed world because God is offering us a greater peace and harmony, but this would come at a cost. Something has got to give. Our Lord tells us, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword.”
The above doesn’t sound at all like your typical image of Jesus - meek and humble, a peacemaker. But this is the real Jesus. He is a provocateur. He is a disturber. Following Him will inevitably prove to be divisive.
In large part, Our Lord was speaking about the effect of the Truth. The Truth of the Gospel has the power to deeply unite us to God when we fully accept it as the Truth. But, it can also divide us from those who refuse to be united to God in the Truth. Christ is not telling His followers to be deliberately disruptive or divisive. Such disruption and division flows naturally from the choices we make - either to accept the Truth or to reject it.
Our culture today is obsessed with wanting all of us to just “get along.” Now there is nothing wrong with getting along with others. None of us want to stir the pot and cause unnecessary friction. But sometimes being obsessed with getting along translates into 'not offending anyone'. Such unity is a lie. The truth of the matter is that someone or another is bound to be offended. We can never please everyone. So let our decisions be rooted in what is true, good and beautiful rather than be based on people’s subjective feelings.
By rejecting falsehood and by holding onto Truth, we run the risk of division, even within our families, our communities and among our friends. But this is inevitable. The Lord offers this passage especially to strengthen us when this happens. If division happens as a result of our sin, shame on us. If it happens as a result of the Truth, then we should accept it as a natural consequence of following Jesus. Jesus was rejected and we should not be surprised if that happens to us, too.