Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)
August 14, 2016 5:00 pm · Deacon Keith Boswell
Today's readings show us a side of Christianity that is often forgotten. When we think about the teachings in the Bible, sometimes we tend to conjure up images beautiful of pastel people gently smiling at one another, and up to heaven. The readings today don't sound Christian, at all. In the first reading the princes were saying that Jeremiah should be put to death and he was thrown into a cistern to starve. In the second reading, we heard from Hebrews that they have to persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. And he tells the Hebrews that their struggle against sin may reach a point where they have to shed their own blood.
In the Gospel, Jesus says that He's come to set the world on fire. And He says, "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the Earth, No I tell you, but rather division." What's going on here? All we hear about is death and bloodshed and division. This can't be Christianity. But follow along with me, let's take a leap to two letters that we are all familiar with, PC. We all know that for the most part, it currently means Political Correctness. It's not a new concept, in Jeremiah's time, if you didn't agree with the king, you deserved to die. The early Christians weren't PC and were thrown to the lions. Jesus was crucified because He was shaking up the Jewish establishment even though they were astounded by his teaching and authority. Whoever is in power decides what's PC.