If you are going to be a disciple of Christ you need to look good on wood

August 18, 2013 - Reflection on homilies for Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C

 

In the Gospel from this Sunday Jesus spoke about how he came to set the earth on fire and that he came not to establish peace on earth and but rather division.   This Gospel can certainly be challenging, especially when we think of peace which we hear quite often in the Liturgy and long for in our lives.   The division that Jesus was talking about was to bring about the Kingdom of God here on earth by shaking up the way of the culture at the time.   There were many injustices then as there are today that are contrary to love of God and neighbor.   Fr. Martin’s homily led off with the saying, “if you are going to be a disciple of Christ you need to look good on wood.”    The message I got out of this saying is that as being disciples’ of Christ we are going

to suffer some persecution because the life of a Christian is contrary to the ways of the world.   He mentioned that some teachings of the Church may be met by people with resistance and hostility, such as the teachings on contraception, abortion, and marriage between solely a man and woman.   There may be some people close to us who may not agree with the Church’s teaching and be at odds with us.  But many of them may not know the underlying reasons behind the Church teaching.  We may have opportunities to share the Church teaching with people close to and still be met with anger and hostility.   But if we do so with love in sharing the truth as Fr. Joe shared with us, we are doing the Father’s will.   People may not like the message and want to silence or do away with us as Jeremiah was placed in the cistern in the first reading, but we still need to share the message.  Sometimes the message has to work on people to sink in to cause a change of heart which may take years, decades, or even a lifetime.   But we need to keep in mind that we are following God’s will in sharing.  So this week keep in mind the Church’s teaching and if you have the opportunity to share the truth when you hear of worldly ways contrary to the Gospel, have courage to share the truth with love.   You may suffer some discomfort, but take comfort in doing the Father’s will.   Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord!