Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
DEALING
WITH THE GOSPEL'S SWORD OF DIVISION AND SEPARATION
The
way things are going in our societies today, we really need to think twice
about our faith as Christians, and whether we are ready to live out our faith amid
the ugly situation in our country today. The hostility, brutality, persecution
and influential powers of the things of this world have eaten deep into the
minds of our leaders and are not stopping soon, rather, it will be getting
tougher unless we stop it now once and for all.
Therefore,
if we are willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need
to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical
way, for these days, it is not enough to say am a Christian, we must
convincingly and radically practice our faith by following the example of our
Lord Jesus.
Little
wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship
to a radical and difficult level when he said: 'Do you suppose that I am here
to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a
household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the
father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter,
daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law
against mother-in-law.
Here,
Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life,
but he wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the
Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel
message radically, especially in a situation where our family values have been
thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess
desires for worldly pleasures and possessions, thereby neglecting the things
that lead us to God.
So,
these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life
experience, because there are moments when we have to make radical and
difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of
division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us.
However,
Jesus does not endorse us engaging in armed conflict, but he warns that we have
to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will
surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God. Hence, he
states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life.
Because following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that one has.
For
none of us can become his true disciple if we do not give up our excess desire
for worldly pleasures and possession, and pay our unreserved loyalty and
allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives including
family, self-interest, and possessions. Thus,
St. Paul in our first said that: as once we put our bodies at the
service of vice and immorality, so now we must put them at the service of
righteousness for our sanctification.
Dear
friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and
faithfully live out our Christian faith and morals. But how much are we willing
to let go for the sake of our faith in God? Why are we finding it difficult to
follow Jesus? What are the habitual desires and possessions that are holding us
from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our
hearts, for tomorrow may be too late.
LET US
PRAY: Lord God, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing
world have weakened our hearts towards you, give us courage and grace to let go
of our ugly desires and attitudes, to hold firm in our faith despite losing
people and things that are dear to us, as we ask you to heal and transform our
nation once again. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a
fruitful day.
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