Reflection for July 13 Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:34-11:1

Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1

(Jesus said to the 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:

The story is told of a man who longed to bring peace to his fractured family. One night, he had a dream in which Jesus said to him, “You need to become a priest for healing to come to your family.” At first, this seemed impossible. The young man loved the pleasures and attractions of the world, yet he loved his family even more. Deep within his heart, he knew that if he truly desired healing, he had to trust and obey the Lord's call.

So, he heeded the voice of Jesus. He entered the seminary to study for the priesthood, and whenever he came home during his vacations, he gathered his family for prayer and recollection. Little by little, God's grace began to work in their hearts. The family that had once been divided and wounded gradually became united in love. In time, he was ordained a priest, and just as Jesus had promised, his vocation became a channel of healing and reconciliation for his family.

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that He can bring division even within a family. At first, this may seem difficult to understand. Yet Jesus does not desire division for its own sake. Rather, whenever we choose to follow Him faithfully and live according to His teachings, not everyone around us may immediately welcome that decision. Our commitment to Christ may be met with misunderstanding, opposition, or even rejection by those closest to us.

But we should never lose heart. If we remain faithful, patient, and loving, and if we continue to entrust our families to Jesus in prayer, the temporary divisions that arise because of our fidelity to Him can, in God's perfect time, become the very path to healing, reconciliation, and lasting peace. Time and again, Jesus has shown that no family is beyond the reach of His transforming love. His grace is always greater than our deepest wounds, and His mercy is always stronger than our brokenness.

Have we invited Jesus into the joys, struggles, and wounds of our family life? Have we shared His Word, prayed together, and allowed His presence to shape our homes? Perhaps we have delayed because we fear rejection or believe that nothing will change. Yet today, Jesus gently reminds us that every journey of healing begins with one faithful step of trust.

May we never grow weary of bringing Christ into our homes. Let us patiently sow the seeds of His Word, persevere in prayer, and entrust every member of our family to His loving Heart. Even if we do not immediately see the fruits of our efforts, we can be confident that God is already at work in ways we cannot yet see.

Today, will we allow Jesus to begin—or continue—His healing work in our families through our faithful witness, loving perseverance, and unwavering trust in Him?—Marino J. Dasmarinas