Sunday, August 14
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Lord, come to my aid!”
Reflection
On my heart and in my prayer this Sunday, given the context of our readings, are those who know and are persevering through the painful reality of which our Lord speaks in the Gospel: As a result of our relationship with Jesus, and our sincere commitment to it, painful divisions and tensions surface all around us…especially within our own families. What family doesn’t know conflict that involves how one is or isn’t living out the faith? Who among us doesn’t struggle with casting judgment over how others choose to live their lives? We have all experienced the sobering reality of Jesus’ words here.
Yet, Jesus is not mistaken when he says he has come not to establish peace, but rather division (Luke 12:51). By doing so, Jesus points to a fundamental reality for us that there is a commitment for us higher than family bonds, namely, the commitment to God himself. But Jesus knows well the challenge that comes with this reality. To help us know the ultimate love that comes to us through relationship with Him both now and in eternity, He went to the darkest depths of human suffering to show us on the Cross that his love will endure forever—especially in the face of experiencing abandonment from those he loved, too. Jesus has overcome the world, and he will bring about reconciliation, he has made this promise, and as we heard last Sunday, he who made this promise is trustworthy (cf. Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19).
Unfortunately for us, encountering ‘the Cross’ in the way of broken relationships, disappointment, and past hurts has been a difficult struggle for humanity since biblical times.
Just consider the familial conflicts of Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, or even Jeremiah today being left to die at the bottom of the cistern because of the resulting division from God’s word being preached.
What, then, is our consolation? The fact that into the heart of these conflicts, Jesus desires to bring the ‘fire’ of his light and love. Jesus doesn’t flee from these wounds, but will enter in when invited. When we choose to extend patience and mercy rather than harboring bitterness and unforgiveness, we find a space where Jesus can stir the ‘flame’ of his love both in us and in others. Because, really, Jesus is fighting for all of us that we may come to know the fullness of life and reconciliation in Him. When his fire fuels joy and life in our hearts, others will inevitably find in us something worth clinging to that is of greater value than anything else in this world.
This kind of faith in action sets the world on fire.
God bless,
Fr. Brendan Foley
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