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Connections&
August 19 -- 20th Sunday of the Year
"I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already ablaze... Do you think I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." Luke 12:49-53
The kids who would be friends...
It was Tommy's first day at a new school. Looking for his sixth-grade classroom, he asked directions from a boy walking by. The boy quietly pointed to Tom's room; he never smiled, he never looked directly at Tom. Tom found the classroom and took his place at his desk.
At recess Tom caught up with the boy who had helped him. The boy said his name was Kyle and he was in the sixth grade as well. They talked about the stuff that sixth graders talk about. At one point, Kyle almost smiled. They met after school, shot some baskets, and got some Cokes. Kyle asked about the CD player Tom had in his backpack; when Kyle put on the headphones and listened to the music, it was the only genuine smile he showed. Tom stood in awe of Kyle's prowess on the basketball court -- Kyle seemed to be able to sink the ball perfectly from anywhere, at will. Kyle showed Tommy how to gauge his shots more accurately.
That evening, Tom's parents asked how the first day went. O.K., he said. He liked his teachers for the most part, lunch was all right, and he met this new kid. A look of concern immediately came over their faces when Tom mentioned Kyle's name. Maybe Tom better steer clear of Kyle, they "suggested." There were stories about his family& his father never seemed to be around& there was an arrest or something -- one of Kyle's brothers has a long record of arrests& and didn't they live in the projects?
But what did that have to do with Kyle? Tom wondered. He's a good kid.
Still, Mom and Dad said, they'd feel more comfortable if Tom didn't spend too much time with Kyle.
The next day at school, Kyle was the first to see Tom. "Hi," Kyle said -- still not exactly smiling, but with an easiness that wasn't there yesterday. "Hey," Tom said.
And Tom kept walking.
Tom never spent anymore time with Kyle.
And Tom never really told his parents anymore about school& or anything else that mattered.
CONNECTION: Tommy has just discovered for the first time in his young life that Gospel charity and justice can be at odds with the world of adults. He is learning that Jesus is not the safe, warm, reassuring blanket we believe him to be. His words challenge us to grow beyond our fears, our biases, our narrow-mindedness. Jesus demands more courage, more compassion, more humility than we believe we are capable of. Jesus does not mince his words: the Gospel is not easy, it is not comfortable; it is challenging and demanding and, in its call for personal conversion, it can be divisive and confrontational, putting us and those we love on opposing sides. Balancing the Gospel of unconditional, reconciling love and its ethical and moral imperatives with the reality of our lives is very difficult; but Christ calls us who would be his disciples to the hard work of justice and reconciliation, regardless of the cost or consequences. ¦
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