Being a Christian is hard! Jesus makes it clear that the decision to follow him
is one that will bring division. It is a conscious choice that penetrates each area
of our lives and changes our perspective about everything we do: all of our actions,
interactions, and relationships.
Or at least, Jesus says, it should.
Truly allowing Christ to be our guide through life makes us give up our usual ways
of thinking. When we start changing our old patterns, the people those changes most
radically affect are the people who are closest to us—our families and friends.
This week's scripture tells us that our commitment to Christ comes before everything
else. Christ comes before our spouses and our children and our grandchildren. To
say the least, such an attitude will upset anyone's life!
How would our brother react if we put a stop to his racist joke at the dinner table?
What would Mom do, if we went on a mission trip and missed her annual July 4th picnic?
Would our children be upset if we spent a tenth of our Christmas budget on a needy
family?
Being a Christian is a hard job, and one that comes with much responsibility. Jesus
tells us that if we neglect those things we have promised to do, we will be held
accountable for it. This week's gospel lesson shows us that doing the right thing
will not win us any popularity contests. On the contrary, we will often find ourselves
in the midst of conflict because of it.
But the reward is found in the doing: in helping those who need it, even if it causes
us hardship; in putting an end to hurtful behavior, even when it is expected by
those closest to us.
Jesus calls us to a life of service and action. Will we respond, or will we opt
to keep the peace?