Reflection for July 11, Monday Saint Benedict, Abbot; Matthew 10:34-11:1

Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple–amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

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Reflection:

What is this sword that Jesus speaks about in the gospel?

It’s the sword of righteousness! Jesus came into this world to bring the sword of righteousness and this sword of righteousness pierces anyone who stands in the way.

Man against his father? Daughter against her mother? Indeed, if anyone stands in the way even if they are our relatives we should not be afraid to speak in the name of righteousness we should not be afraid to gently voice out what we think is right no matter who gets hurt.

In the same manner that we should not be afraid to voice out our sentiments even if the person whom we are going to address has the money and power.

Sometimes we have second thoughts if we are going to speak our minds in the name of Jesus. We ought not to think twice we must have the courage to say what’s in our mind in the name of the sword of Jesus’ righteousness.

The church always speaks out its mind whenever there are issues or policies that hurt the populace. It’s not afraid to verbally rebuke anyone in power even if it creates enmity and wedge between them. Why? For the simple reason that this is the mission of the Church which Jesus founded through St. Peter. – Marino J. Dasmarinas