Discord And Strife

20^th Sunday of Ordinary Time; Luke 12:49-53

“I have come to light a fire on the earth.”

This passage from Luke is a Gospel that, I think, should be read out loud and with great gusto and passion. This is not a reading that the “holy Jesus” says, all quiet, and softly. No, this is Jesus feeling great angst, frustration, and concern over the state of his world and the reaction of his followers.

Jesus is telling his followers that if we are not feeling discomfort and anxiety, then we may not be truly doing what Jesus has taught us to do. “Do you think I am here to bring peace on earth? I tell you; the opposite is true: I have come to bring division.” [Lk 12:51] This is a passage that has caused me much confusion over the years. I was taught that Jesus brings peace and love, not discord and strife!

And yet, in our current culture we are seeing that, in fact, Jesus is causing division. I read the news and see that our government is making determined moves to codify a brand of Christianity that fits a specific political philosophy. One where white male’s make the decisions. If a person is not white and not a male, they will be relegated to second-class citizenship. If a person is LGBTQ, they will be persecuted. Fortunately, not everyone is okay with this attitude. There are many groups standing up to this attempt to create a theocracy, one centered on a narrow minded and fundamentalist interpretation of scripture.

Michel Dunne, OFS is the Executive Director of the Franciscan Action Network. Recently she wrote, [when I read Mark 8] “I suddenly understood that Jesus was not speaking about patience with everyday suffering [when Jesus said, “take up your cross and follow me”]. As he faced escalating pressure, including from his friends, to stop speaking out against injustice, Jesus made it crystal clear that following him would require self-sacrifice, inconvenience, and possibly danger.” [1]

And yes, it may mean disagreeing with members of my own family. It may mean having to stand up to lifelong friends who feel differently than I do. I don’t have to do it in a mean or angry manner. (In fact, I work really hard not to.) But it does mean I have to speak up and be heard. It does mean that I need to put myself in situations that may be dangerous or risky, like participating in a march or protest. My family (even those who agree with my positions), hate it when I do that, but it’s important to me.

Being a Christian who works to actually follow the teaching of Jesus the way he said them, I have to be willing to reach out and talk to people to educate them about what is happening in our society. I have to be an example of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, even if that means I cause division. I have to be one who lights the fire of God’s genuine love and mercy to those who are (or may be) on the margins of society. I have to light the fire and keep it burning.

Every Day.

[1] Michele Dunne, OFS, “Gospel to Life and Life to Gospel”, the Mendicant, CAC Publishing, Summer 2025, Vol 15, No 1

© 2025 by Timothy J. Doppel

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