Thursday,
October 24, 2013
29th Week
in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Rom 6: 19- 23
Gospel: Lk 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples, “I have come to bring fire upon the earth and how I wish it were already kindled; but I have a baptism to undergo and what anguish I feel until it is over!
“Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, in one house five will be divided; three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The story of St. Francis of Assisi throws light on today’s difficult Gospel passage. At 25, while praying at the Church of St. Damien, Jesus spoke to him from the crucifix and said, “Francis, go and repair my Church which you see is falling into ruins”. Thereafter he began restoring that small chapel and giving money and clothes to the poor. His father became furious and demanded his property back. In front of the bishop’s palace Francis stripped himself of his clothes and said, “These clothes are also yours, you should take them back too”.
Francis’ determination to serve God stood between him and his father. Divisions like this where God is the proximate cause carry God’s approval. The point of today’s Gospel is that there are higher values that override peace. No one should hinder a person from following Christ, not even members of one’s own family.
The population control issue renders today’s Gospel relevant to us. Respect for God should override pragmatic considerations on the population issue. Out of respect for God every sexual act must remain open to life. If we must limit population, self- discipline is the only moral way. This applies to every sexual act such that even pro-life couples using the natural method should remain open to the possibility of pregnancy.
Admittedly self-discipline is a hard thing to do. How pathetic that science has led us to greater temptations by inventing contraceptives. Damage is creeping fast from within the family to society targeting young lives in two ways, first by limiting access to life, and second by corrupting young people who can now engage in pre-marital sex without qualms.
This issue has polarized the Church and the State. If the same hasn’t divided your families, probably you haven’t opened wide your doors to Jesus yet. When it comes to standing for the values God holds so dear, peace must give way to division.—Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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