My sisters and brothers,
Praise to you Lord Jesus!
As you know on Saturday, August 23, we will have a local election to replace one City councilor. I did the advance voting just this Thursday with some of the parishioners to fulfill my obligation as a citizen and to respond to the call of building up community with care & love. Through this vote we have the opportunity to choose a candidate who will govern locally. But voting is not the end of our responsibility, we should stay respectfully engaged with those who have been elected and pray for them.
In our Gospel (Luke 12: 49-53), Jesus speaks about the bringing of fire and division, and not of peace to the world. The “Fire” Jesus speaks of is not literal fire but the “Holy Spirit” and the transformative power of the “Word of God” – which will refine, purify and
challenge us.
Jesus’ Words will truly cause division especially within families. This division
arises because the “Word of God’ challenges us deeply in our culture, our faith and our loyalty; forcing us to choose between worldly things and allegiance with Jesus.
The passage also calls us to have courage and to be faithful in the face of challenges. As followers of Jesus, we are confronted with so many decisions and choices in our daily lives. May we discern God’s will and pray for God’s ways. “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
Let us pray that we may embrace the True Peace that Jesus offers to us in a deeper and more profound peace that comes from aligning oneself with God’s will. AMEN
God Loves You!
~ Fr. NEIL