Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Twentieth Sunday Ordinary Time
Luke 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
I have come to set the earth on fire, how I wish it were already blazing.
Do you think I have come to establish peace on earth? No I tell you but rather division.
From now on a father will be divided against a son and a son against a father.
Mother against daughter and daughter against mother.
Mother in-law against daughter in-law daughter in-law against mother in-law.
OK what did they do with the real Jesus? My friends this is the same Jesus who uttered from the cross Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
So what are we to make of these statements that seem out of character for our Lord? First of all they are not at all out of character but very much in line with the teachings of Christ.
We are disturbed by these statements because they don’t agree with the gospel we have fashioned around our own interpretation of the teachings of Jesus. Many today choose to practice a gospel of ease and comfort.
Many protestant ministers are preaching a prosperity gospel. Jesus was rich and he wants us to be rich also. The only one getting rich preaching this gospel are the preachers.
Catholics are not immune from following the teachings of Jesus and his Church that meet their needs and leaving the difficult choices to others. This cafeteria style gospel picking this leaving that is akin to allowing a toddler to choose to eat candy for dinner each evening and skipping the vegetables. Our bodies cannot function on a diet of sweets. Our souls can survive on a diet of doing what we think is right.
There are numerous self serve gospels available none of them have received the imprimatur of our Lord.
The gospel Jesus preached brought about division. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him. We don’t see much division brought about by the preaching of the gospel today. We have become politically correct in our preaching. How long has it been since you heard a homily about the devil? Or a homily condemning the prevalent sins of our society today?
Jesus teachings by their very nature bring about division. So if we don’t see or experience division brought about by the preaching of the gospel maybe we are hearing a gospel Jesus never preached.
I have come to set the earth on fire, how I wish it were already blazing.
Do you think I have come to establish peace on earth? No I tell you but rather division.
From now on a father will be divided against a son and a son against a father.
Mother against daughter and daughter against mother.
Mother in-law against daughter in-law daughter in-law against mother in-law.
OK what did they do with the real Jesus? My friends this is the same Jesus who uttered from the cross Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
So what are we to make of these statements that seem out of character for our Lord? First of all they are not at all out of character but very much in line with the teachings of Christ.
We are disturbed by these statements because they don’t agree with the gospel we have fashioned around our own interpretation of the teachings of Jesus. Many today choose to practice a gospel of ease and comfort.
Many protestant ministers are preaching a prosperity gospel. Jesus was rich and he wants us to be rich also. The only one getting rich preaching this gospel are the preachers.
Catholics are not immune from following the teachings of Jesus and his Church that meet their needs and leaving the difficult choices to others. This cafeteria style gospel picking this leaving that is akin to allowing a toddler to choose to eat candy for dinner each evening and skipping the vegetables. Our bodies cannot function on a diet of sweets. Our souls can survive on a diet of doing what we think is right.
There are numerous self serve gospels available none of them have received the imprimatur of our Lord.
The gospel Jesus preached brought about division. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him. We don’t see much division brought about by the preaching of the gospel today. We have become politically correct in our preaching. How long has it been since you heard a homily about the devil? Or a homily condemning the prevalent sins of our society today?
Jesus teachings by their very nature bring about division. So if we don’t see or experience division brought about by the preaching of the gospel maybe we are hearing a gospel Jesus never preached.
