Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~ This week, Jesus paints a very different picture of himself and what he expects than what we are used to – doesn’t he?

“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing! 
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? 
No, I tell you, but rather division. 

What’s going on?  What about “peace be with you” or “blessed are the peacemakers”?

It’s not that Christ wants chaos – he wants us to understand that following him may very likely cause division.  The reality is that it is not going to be easy following Jesus Christ – not if we truly believe in him.

I used to be something of a news junkie.  But that’s no longer the case. I’m not putting my head in the sand, but I’m not reading, listening to, or watching the news like I used to.  It makes for a much more peaceful day or week or month.  Reality hits me in the face when I switch back on.  When I read the gospel reading earlier in the week for this Sunday, the 20th week of Ordinary Time, it called to mind the many divisions we are experiencing in our country now – divisions among families and friends – maybe even within this very parish.  We don’t always like to admit it – so we avoid it.    

Maybe we succeed in avoiding it by not talking about it.  I don’t expect that is what Jesus wants – or expects.  He didn’t say these things because he thought he needed to avoid a difficult topic – to keep things peaceful.  He stated them because he wants us to be prepared – he wants us to know what would be expected of us – the challenges that we would face if we want to consider ourselves his followers.

One of my Dominican brothers went to Mississippi a few years ago with members of his parish.  He felt called, with others from Chicago, to go there to help people who had been separated from their families because of raids that were conducted against migrant workers.  Those raids forced the separation of families – those raids have placed these families in deplorable conditions.  These actions cry out for us to seek justice.  

And these actions have caused divisions.  My Dominican brother spent a night sitting in jail with half of his parish council.   Deeply, that they have been called by their faith – to act in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.  It is causing division – but it is what Jesus told us to expect – we should not be surprised – nor should we be timid.  We have been timid too long – maybe I have been timid too long.

Maybe sometimes we fake it or stay quiet because we don’t want to cause disruption and division, and sometimes it is out of love.  But it is for love of Jesus that we will be measured – whether or not we are following the way of Jesus – the way by which we will ultimately be judged.  The time for timidity has passed, brothers and sisters.  Like the great Dominican, Saint Catherine of Siena, our savior has called us to set the world on fire.

When I was preparing this reflection and my homily, I thought about how it would be easier to talk about a gentler, softer message – the warm and cuddly version of Jesus Christ.  But that’s not what is going to be expected of us.  We are supposed to do our best to set one another on fire – or if we’re already on fire – to stoke that flame to superheat.

And let us remember the words of the letter to the Hebrews:  

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.

The Church is depending on US!  Set the world on fire.