Belinda Weatherly, member of St Lukes

Matthew 10:34-39

 

Do not suppose I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn

 

  “a man against his father,

   a daughter against her mother,

   a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law ___

   a mans enemies will be members of his own household.”

 

Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

Reflection:
I would venture a guess that not many would cite this passage as one of their favorites and yet this is one of the places where Jesus most plainly states his mission. He isn’t interested in the peace the world offers. As always Jesus chooses his words deliberately. The people of his time were familiar with swords since they were a conquered people living in a land occupied by Roman soldiers wearing them. This was the peace they were living under. Swords were tools of destruction or better put, power. Jesus’ choice of the word signifies that he hasn’t come to earth to tidy up the temple courts and rearrange the furniture. No indeed!  He has come to turn the world upside down. He has come to rearrange hearts.

Everything is at risk. Families will be torn apart, possibly never to be reconciled. This is no small risk in a culture where family affiliation meant identity, place in society, employment, your safety net, and possibly your very physical survival. Your life may be taken apart and never be put back together. In fact, your life may be forfeit. 

“Take up your cross and follow me”!  We have been known in our culture to use the phrase ‘it’s my cross to bear’ or another similar turn of phrase when we are really talking about a minor burden. The people who heard these words knew exactly what taking up a cross meant. It meant humiliation and a gruesome death. This wasn’t something symbolic but instead something they witnessed walking down the Jerusalem road. Finding your life won’t do you any good because this world as you know it will be destroyed. Be willing to lose it all and I will give you something better.

The Christian life is a costly one. God set the rules in the garden and we disobeyed. God sent the prophets and we killed them. God has come personally in the form of Jesus to give us a chance to align ourselves with God’s will. We can expect the cost to be high. There are things in this life we will never have. There are things in this life that we will lose. Jesus went to the cross for us. What are we willing to do? That was the question then and continues to be the question today.

What is our response?  In Jesus’ time, many fell away unable to take the leap just as many fall away now when the choice is between the pleasures of this life and the sacrifices required to truly follow Jesus. Even so many did go to their deaths for their belief in Jesus and his promise of finding life in him. And still, everyday people around the world choose Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Give me the resolve to put it all on the line. Give me the discipline to make the choice for Jesus every moment. Give me the strength to let go of worldly peace and rest only on the promises of Jesus. In his name, Amen.