20th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

20th SUNDAY, 17 AUGUST 2025: JER 38. 4-6, 8-10; HEB 12. 1-4; LUKE 12. 49-53 Thrust: Fire that divides! Indicative: In a world that is often lukewarm and indifferent with regard to God and good, we need to be persons ablaze with fire 1. In today’s gospel, Jesus states shockingly: I came to bring division and not peace”. This really disturbs and upsets anyone and everyone because we believe that he is the prince of peace. 2. We pray to him for peace amidst all our troubles and disturbances. But, he openly states that he came not to bring peace but to disturb it. 3. Further, in a world that is torn by dissensions and divisions, we always pray for unity. But strangely Jesus declares that he has come to bring division. 4. This requires then to understand what exactly Jesus means by this division caused and the peace disturbed. 5. Clearly, the division that is caused by Jesus is not the negative, unhealthy and harmful division that is caused by narrow-mindedness, prejudices, and self-vested interests, in the name of factors like race, nation, religion, language, culture, caste, rite, et cetera. Such a division is a manifestation of a shrunken and narrowed world. 6. Also, the peace that is disturbed by Jesus’ coming is only the false peace that is built on comfort, convenience, compromise, indifference, lack of involvement, concern, and non-committal attitude. 7. It is thus a peace that shelters itself in self-demarcations and self-confinements. It does not allow anyone to enter into one’s self-made territories. 8. These divisions and disturbances are created because of the fire that Jesus has spread. What is this fire? It is the fire of passion, conviction, authenticity, vigour, and commitment. 9. Therefore, one who is passionate for God, convinced, authentic, vigorous, and committed will surely experience division and disturbance. 10. The reason is quite clear. It is because of the “contrast”. Such persons are on “fire”, that is, burning for God and His values are in contrast to the rest of the people of the world. 11. Their passion is in contrast to the tepidity of many others. Their conviction is in contrast to the compromise of many others. Their authenticity is in contrast to the duplicity of many others. Their vigour is in contrast to the passivity of many others. And their commitment is in contrast to the mediocrity and non-committal attitude of many others. 12. There is certainly difference and division between the true and false, between commitment and convenience, responsibility and escapism, between conviction and compromise, between firmness and instability, between sensitivity and indifference, between fervor and lethargy, between passion and mediocrity, between fidelity and defection, between honesty and deception, between authenticity and duplicity, between surrender and self-indulgence, between love and hatred, between altruism and egoism, between patience and aggression, between sentiment and resentment, between forgiveness and retaliation, between generosity and greed, between benevolence and malice, between magnanimity and jealousy, between sharing and grabbing. 13. Therefore such contrast automatically leads to resentment, opposition, division, aggression, and persecution. But then what should be our approach and response? 14. The word of God always provides some basic answers. Be focused, be surrendered, and be enduring. Jeremiah in the first reading and Jesus himself in the second reading stand before us as the models for this focus, surrender, and endurance. Imperative: The fire of many followers of Christ is either dwindling or almost extinguishing. We need to re-ignite it and make it again burning brightly and steadily