Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
What is the nature of division? Is it evil? Well, Christ says the devil’s minions are unanimous in evil goals! Evil unity is bad! Christ says elsewhere that He did not come to bring peace but division: pitting brother against brother, son against father, and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law. The gospel means making choices that can divide the strongest bonds of blood. Yet, Christ also brings peace, but a peace, He states, “not as the world gives it” (cf. Jn. 14:27). What is the world’s peace? It’s a momentary absence of conflict, and with self-centeredness we’ll always try to escape it. Christ’s peace differs because it’s a stability we never want to leave. Christ’s peace may come at the cost of division.
That’s not to say that any old division is holy! The opposite of Christ is Adam. Today we see the fallout of Original Sin. The Garden of Eden was true peace, perfect unity between God and creation. But man and woman tempted by the serpent believe they are in competition with their Creator. And when this false competition is established it explodes. Once God cared for Adam and Eve like a father, but now they’re rebellious kids. Once Adam saw Eve as his compliment and companion, but now she’s a threat power. Once the man named the animals and lived harmoniously with them, now they fear each other. Division may be necessary to separate from evil’s united front, but divisiveness, that is evil. Sin sets us in false competition with God, neighbor, and creation.
How do we discern good division from divisiveness? The demons are focused on doing Satan’s will. Conversely, we, directed by the Holy Spirit, should seek God’s will. We must avoid what’s popular in our culture now: to make no distinctions at all. Today it is assumed everything is equally as bad or as good as anything else. Thus even a prominent American priest can make the astonishing statement that all lifestyles are sinful. No, as individuals we sin, but heterosexual marriage and priesthood are paths to holiness – vocations –, whereas a same sex union is a road to perdition. And we should avoid thinking the middle of two extremes is good. Napalm and dry ice evened out won’t make fluffy bunnies!
How do we discern what to do, then? We discern in relation to Christ. We look to the Word of God, Jesus’ own example, and the Church’s teaching to model when to sever and when to unite. The Lord says both that those who love mother and father more than me are not worthy of me, but He also says forgive seven times seventy times. The Kingdom of God welcomes all but it is found via a narrow way. As St. Benedict says to would-be disciples in the monastery: “Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation. It is bound to be narrow at the outset. But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love” (Rule of St. Benedict, Prol. 48-49).
Reflection by Fr. Pachomius Meade, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections