Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary TimeWho is Our God?: God of Unity or God of Division?Jer 38 : 4-10
Heb : 12 : 1-4
Lc 12,49-53 Why did Jesus came to this earth?
Good evening my dear friends in Christ Jesus.
Could you answer me? Why did Jesus came to this earth?
Does Jesus come to bring salvation, or to bring peace, or to bring unity; Jesus came not to do all these rather he came to bring division, bring fire. I did not say Jesus says in today’s Gospel. How do we understand these passages? Anybody is there to answer me?
Dear friends there are so many things we can discuss on today’s gospel but today we take up only one thing. Jesus came to bring division and not the unity.
What is the meaning of division?
In the dictionaries we find that division means the action of separating something into two parts or the process of being separated. Also division brings differences or disagreements between two or more groups,. Today the world runs only with in this division. When we say there is a light which means here is dark. Light and darkness are two divisions they cannot meet each other. In the same way when we say I love this person automatically we say I hate the other person. Here too we find love and hatred are two divisions they too cannot meet each other. Also when I say there is a war in the country automatically we know that there is no peace in the country. War and peace are two divisions and they cannot meet each other. Hence, like this there are so many divisions we find in our lives. so, friends we live our life meaningfully within the division. Today what do you want division or unity?
Dear friends do we have division among us? Yes or no? Yes, we have divisions in our families, society etc. For example like rich and poor, educated Vs uneducated, male domination against woman domination, even in our own families we experience this kind of divisions. For example how much of respect we give to woman in our society? God created equally both men and woman. We know in the creation story that man is created out of Sand; whereas woman is created in the rib of a man. Why did god create woman in the rib of a man? Do you answer me? You can answer? Because God knows that if he created woman in any other parts of Men surely it will bring domination. For example if he would have created from the head of man, woman might dominate men also if He would have created from the leg of men, surely men will dominate women. but God created woman in the rib. it is because the rib is the center of the person and near to heart. In order to show that nobody is dominant rather both male and female complement each other. God created equally both male and female but we men create division in the creation itself.
One day I was giving a talk to one of the group here. I began my talk saying my dear sisters and brothers. Immediately I could see that the men started to change their faces. After the meeting one man came to me and said Father you have humiliated the men in the group. I asked how is that? And he said that it is not good to address in the group My dear sisters and brothers rather you must say My dear brothers and sisters. Men are first and women are second. And he continued that, if there are thousand woman in the group and there is only one male child then this one male child dominates all other thousand women. Here the men are not able to resist giving priority to woman.
So dear friends just brought one example just I experienced recently. Even in this 21st centenary how do men openly dominate woman. If there is no woman; there is no creation itself. That’s why Jesus says in today’s gospel that though you come to church daily, pray daily , offer lots of money yet if you have division among you, then Jesus also tells that I too bring division not peace. Today do you want peace of God or hatred of God? or you want unity or division? You check into your lives? And decide for your lives? if you make division Jesus also brings division. if you bring peace or unity Jesus also brings peace and unity in our lives. That’s why we read in the first reading prophet Jeremiah wants to bring unity among the group but the people condemn him and try to kill him. Thus Jeremiah announces the division in the country. And in the second reading the writer says that let us put away all our selfishness, sinful acts of every kind because Jesus our master came to bring unity among us. Dear friends tomorrow we are going to celebrate the feast of our virgin mother’s assumption. Let us avoid all kind of divisions in our family, group, and society. And try to show respect towards women.
May the God of unity bless all our families? And May god bring unity in our country.
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