Reflection for October 24, Thursday; Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 12:49-53

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.”

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Reflection:

A sinful man was invited by his friend to attend a parish renewal program. The sinful man was already tired of living a life of sin and he wanted to rid himself of any form of sinfulness. So, he said to his friend, “Ok I will attend.” While in the process of formation he was enlightened about how sin destroys a person and prevents a person from having a personal relationship with Jesus.

After the renewal program was through the sinful man decided to let go of friends who had brought nothing to his life but sin. Thus he was hated by his former friends and was even threatened with physical harm.    

The moment we decide to live a life according to the will of Jesus we have to expect conflict and misunderstanding. We have to be ready to be hated or lose some of our friends and even our family members as well for this is the reality of following Jesus.

When you truly follow Jesus you set aright what is wrong. You will have the fire in your belly to leave those who do nothing to you except to influence you to sin. You will have the fire in your belly to correct those who continue to sin no matter what it may cost you. 

Jesus in the gospel talks about division, He tells us: 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 (Luke 12:52-53).”

Indeed, there are times that division has to occur for good to triumph over evil. Division has to occur so that a wayward behavior can be set aright. We need not worry about the outcome of this kind of division for the reason that this division is a division that purifies a person from the impurities of sin. – Marino J. Dasmarinas