“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword” (Mt 10:34).

Words to live by from the King of Peace. The reality of this statement is the reality of his mission. Jesus entered the lives of individuals. Some said yes to following him and some said no; some saying yes and no within the same family. The image of the sword represents how sharp and stark this choice could cut. If you do not think that is true, just look at the political polarization in our country right now. The cut between democrat and republican, right and left, bleeds. And we unfortunately all witnessed the worst expression of that with Saturday’s shooting at former President Trump’s rally.

During the time of Jesus and for most within the first generation of believers, there was not a luke-warm choice. You were either for Jesus or against Jesus. Jesus was either very dangerous because he was leading people to believe he was God, he was distorting the teaching of the Jewish faithful and leading people astray, he was just crazy, or he was who he said he was. These choices would have divided families and friends. In today’s teaching, Jesus was not softening the choice. He said, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

If you believe in God, you will believe in Jesus. And the choice followed then that if one assented to that truth they followed Jesus first before anyone else. Before father, mother, brother, sister, husband or wife. Anything less is not worthy of a disciple. This stance will cause division because each person is free to reject or accept the truth of who Jesus is.

When Jesus said, “I have come to bring not peace but the sword” (Mt 10:34), he meant that we are not to settle for a false peace, a lethargic appeasement to just get along or to water down the Gospel message in the hope that others will receive it. Jesus demanded a choice from those who were to follow him then and in our time today. We are to decide whether or not we believe that Jesus is who he says he is or not. If he is, then we must follow him and put his teachings into practice which is even more of a challenge.

The good news is that Jesus, following the lead of his Father, meets us where we are and gently leads us with his tender chords of love. He is also there to pick us up when we fall, if we are willing to accept his help. We need to realize too that evangelizing does not mean we carry a mallet and bludgeon others with the true, the good, and the beautiful of our faith. We share our faith in the same way we have received it, through love, patience, and compassion. We meet people where they are and walk with them, build authentic relationships, and help them to know Jesus, develop a relationship with him, and then to slowly seek to understand and to put his teachings into practice together.

In following Jesus and putting into practice the words of the Prophet Isaiah by ceasing to do evil, learning to do good, and making justice our aim (cf. Isaiah 1:15-17), we will cause disruption and face conflict but when we trust in Jesus, respect each other as human beings, really listen to, seek to understand, and are present to one another, we will begin to see that we are beloved children of a loving God, brothers and sisters, fellow human beings, and we might just learn something from one another and maybe begin to move toward the reconciliation and healing our country so desperately needs.

Photo: E Pluribus Unum – Out of many, one – View from my Rosary walk last night at Riverside Park, Vero Beach, FL.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, July 15, 2024