Reflection:
In our Gospel reading, Jesus’ words move from challenging to startling: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” And then Jesus describes family members set against each other.
We may find ourselves struggling with Jesus’ words. Do we not call Jesus the Prince of Peace? Don’t we have enough division in this country? In this world? I don’t believe Jesus is talking about fomenting hate and fear and a thirst for war and conquest.
The “baptism” to which He refers is the sacrifice He was going to make on the Cross out of love for us.
At the same time, Jesus is not calling us to have peace at any cost. To follow Jesus involves making choices that make us uncomfortable, and can sometimes bring us into conflict with people, even people closest to us.
Jesus did not come to make us comfortable or complacent. He did not advocate peace at the cost of ignoring “the least” among us or accepting injustice as a matter of course. But whatever we do in following Jesus, in working for justice, in helping those in need, we are called to do so out of the love God has for us and the world in Jesus Christ.
May our hearts be set afire with love.
