Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In my short time as a priest, I often meet people who say, “Why does Father A allow us to do certain things, and you don’t.” Or “why does Father B do it this way, and you do it differently?” Well, the answer is because I am a priest of Jesus Christ, not the priest of Father A or Father B. My answer often isn't convincing to many, and then they accuse me of being divisive. Well, as a priest of Jesus Christ, perhaps I am now acting like Jesus, creating division rather than peace. Jesus said that he came to set the fire on earth. "Do you think that I have to come to establish peace, no but division... Father against son, Mother against daughter, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law." How can it be possible, since Jesus himself is the Prince of Peace? The division between son and father, mom and daughter, or mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is something common in life. But what does Jesus really mean here by the division?
Luke wrote, "There is a baptism with which I must be baptized." Here Luke is referring to two different things: first, the reference could be to Jesus' death or the baptism in the holy Spirit of Pentecost. In either case, Jesus' declaration would suggest a prophetic passion. So, the division stems from our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How can the belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ cause a division? Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered the power of Sin. But the reality of Sin is often neglected. We don't want to talk about it anymore, in the name of peace, tolerance, and political correctness. As Catholics, in one way or in another, we will get caught in division with those in the secular world, who believe that they can do whatever they want, and that there is no judgment and punishment for sin.
After Jesus spoke about the division, he then shifted to the discussion of the signs of the times. Here, Jesus meant that we must make a decision now before it's too late. If we don't get things straight, then it will be harder for us in the judgment to come. Regardless of what happens in the world, we have to set our private lives in order before it is too late, and then pick up our cross and carry it with Jesus to Jerusalem.