Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.”
Division
1. Blaze. You know that fire cleans and lights things up. Maybe today you should decide to let your life be cleaned. Here’s what’s interesting: if you let God clean you up, then He can use all those things that don’t help you to actually light you up instead. All of this takes time and faith. Also, as years go by, it’s easy to lose passion for the things you do. In life, you have to find the motivation to “blaze”—to light up and get things done. Someone who believes gets motivated, and someone who’s motivated becomes passionate. A passionate person takes action. So, let your faith in Christ motivate you to live, and may you live by both motivating yourself and inspiring others.
2. Baptism. Keep diving deep into your faith and beliefs. Remember, “baptism” also means being reborn. You’re meant to make a difference in this world, and your own experiences are key to helping and inspiring others. Don’t let life’s tough times make your life feel meaningless. Instead, let your life be a constant reason to do things that make both others and yourself feel truly valued.
3. Division. The division Jesus talks about comes from protecting your uniqueness; you need to guard your identity. You see, there will always be disagreements because the way Christ asks us to live means many people won’t like our beliefs or how we act. Don’t let others force their ideas on you, and don’t let their thoughts limit who you are. You can’t spend your whole life just serving others; however, you can give yourself to others without losing your true self. Stay connected with God and with who you are, even when others try to pull you in different directions.
Don’t forget something good is on the way.
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
