First Reading
Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
In those days, the princes said to the king: “Jeremiah ought to be put to death; he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such things to them; he is not interested in the welfare of our people, but in their ruin.” King Zedekiah answered: “He is in your power”; for the king could do nothing with them. And so they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah, which was in the quarters of the guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud. Ebed-melech, a court official, went there from the palace and said to him: “My lord king, these men have been at fault in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah, casting him into the cistern. He will die of famine on the spot, for there is no more food in the city.” Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite to take three men along with him, and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he should die.
Second Reading
Hebrews 12:1-4
Brothers and sisters: 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 leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
Gospel Cycle Cycle C
Luke 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples: “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. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Today all three readings speak profoundly about the same thing: following the Lord means that we shall suffer. This is never a popular theme. Often we really prefer that our faith become simply a personal comfort to us in time of need. We are not really at ease with a faith that demands that we speak up in terms of truth and justice and right.
The first reading, from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, tells us what happened to Jeremiah when he spoke out against a particular war or battle. He advocated that the people surrender to the enemy and this infuriated the army leaders. Not everyone who speaks against a war is a prophet! And not everyone who advocates a war is advocating something good. Today war is less acceptable as a way of settling differences or of dealing with perceived injustice. We have not found a way of helping others that is effective. So much of what we hear is only a creation of the media or a result of politics and not at all about the realities of peace, just and right in our world. We need a Jeremiah who is truly a person of faith, not a creation of the media or of politics.
The Gospel, from Luke, picks us this theme of discord. So often we think of the Gospel of Christ as a Gospel of Peace—but today’s readings make sure that we are not naïve! True peace can only come with the following of the Lord. There may seem to be a peace which is basically not bothering one another. This is generally what is termed peace in our world. Or when there is no war, we speak of peace. Christian peace comes only with the doing of God’s will.
Jesus can speak strongly about not bringing peace because when we begin to follow the Lord, it often puts us at odds with others. Even within Christian communities we may find strong differences and sometimes outright conflicts. Sometimes such differences and conflicts are truly based on striving to do God’s will but generally they come about because we want to do things our way and are not willing to compromise.
To come to true and lasting peace, we must follow the Letter to the Hebrews and struggle with the sin that is within us. We must be willing to lay down our life for others. We must be willing to suffer for the sake of others. So much suffering is brought about by not be willing to give our lives for others. Instead, we insist on our rights and the obligations of others toward us. Jesus must be our leader and our model: will to speak the truth and willing to give His life up so that others might have life. He always invites but never compels with force.
Let us ask our Father this day to deepen us in faith, to help us know the truth that sets us free and to seek peace and pursue it. May God have mercy on us and on our world.