Sword of Jesus – Reflection on Matthew 10:34-11:1
If you were a child in the 1950s, you may have been taught about a visible form of evil, which was significant in scope. Children all over the U.S. practiced getting under our desks because of the threat of an atomic bomb. As we get older, we know Satan is sneakier, such as hiding within our thoughts, and we have to be on constant guard. Unfortunately, even if we expose it to people close to us and strangers, they do not know how evil succeeds. The sword of Jesus can help us cut away the part of us (or them) that we discern as evil without hurting what we love. During our pruning, Christ also strengthens and grows our ability to love. When we intensely cooperate, we can encounter obvious obstacles to faith. Becoming righteous as a follower of Jesus allows us to discern the other side’s attempts to make us fail.
Jesus Discourses with His Disciples by James Tissot (full resolution image of painting)
More details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
Additional Ordinary Time Reflections
Matthew 10:34-42 – Scripture*
Not Peace, but a Sword
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
Rewards
40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
Matthew 11:1 – Scripture*
1Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this daily Gospel reading and considering this Lectio Divina Matthew 10:34—11:1 Reflection – Jesus’s Sword.
Would you like to contribute related thoughts to these Lectio reflections on the Gospel readings? Since Lectio is not the only contemplative prayer style, others might appreciate various forms of expression in this ministry. Do you see God’s grandeur everywhere and unconditionally enjoy sharing the love of Christ that you have inside? Are you willing to be anonymous in what you would share? If so, email me.
Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities experience your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite worldly distractions. Amen.
Attributions
*This site has permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible Matthew 10 passage.
The Immersive Prayer website follows the guidelines for image web use at the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum websites.
Primary Lectio Divina word or phrase: Sword of Jesus
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