Scripture Scribbles: August 17, 2025

the Gospel

Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

the scribble

Growing up, I didn’t understand this Gospel. Why would Jesus want to divide families, when families are so important? Would these divisions cause a complete cut-off from family members? It wasn’t until I started to follow Jesus more closely, that I began to understand. When I was a young adult, I decided to go to Mass which conflicted with a time my parents wanted to accomplish a task. I was divided between being obedient to them and worshipping the Lord. I chose Mass and it caused a small rift. There have been other instances - comments made from various family members, tensions of timing parties because my husband and I choose to go to Mass. At times, the mention of Mass, causes hairs to raise.

I still have good relationships with my family members, yet, there are sometimes subtle divisions - instead of a complete severance - in family life when following Jesus that don’t allow us to grow together in Him.

This is where Jesus speaks of the Baptism He was approaching - the Passion and death He endured because of these divisions. Some followers would believe and follow him to the Cross, while others turned away.

He invites us all to contemplate our own Baptism. How boldly am I living my faith? Do I shy away from talking about my faith around certain family members because I know it’ll bring the tension to the surface? Am I willing to die for my faith? Sometimes that looks like direct persecution from our own family members; thus, True relationship dying. I believe Jesus is giving us a choice of deeper conversion in this passage. Am I willing to accept that following Him will ruffle feathers and disturb peaceful relations? Are you?

Today’s devotion was written by Diana Giard