Often, when we contemplate our belief and faith, we think about heaven, angels, bliss, and peace. Who doesn’t want peace? I’ve certainly preached about it many times. But today is different, today we get a reality check. Today we get roused out from our busy lives, pulled out of our comfort… by this reality check.

Jesus brings us this in no uncertain terms, and He gets at it right in the first sentence of the Gospel. “I have come to set the earth on fire, how I wish it were already blazing!” OK, that gets our attention. Then He says, “Do you think I have come to establish peace on 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.” That doesn’t sound very nice! Where’s the part about angels flying around heaven and eternal peace?

Well, that peace is what’s in store… if we are firm during this division here on earth. So, what is Jesus getting at here? He is preparing the disciples. The disciples and His followers faced significant division because their faith flew in the face of the Jewish religion, a tradition very different from what Jesus preached. Division that was apparent even in their own homes. 

Today, we too face division because we stand for belief in the face of religious hostility and rejection.

When division is sown, it means that people are standing up for their faith, standing up for their beliefs, by how they live their lives, and by what they say. That’s part of what Jesus longs for. He knows that the disciples will live in conflict. He knows that we live in division: conflict and division because we stand for something that many in society have a problem with and thus there is hostility. The question then is: where do we stand?

In the first reading, we meet King Zedekiah who can’t seem to take a firm stand on anything. Whoever asks him last is the person he sides with. That is not the firm stand we are talking about today.

In the second reading, however, we do see a firm stand. Saint Paul, no surprise there, says, “persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.” We are in that race to the prize and we certainly do need to persevere.

So, where do we stand on this three vs. two and two vs. three? Do we waffle like King Zedekiah? Or are we firm in our belief like Saint Paul? Many of us may spend time in both camps.

In our lives, we may not be broadly attacked for our faith thankfully… but society has a way of gnawing away at our faith and beliefs. By what is said in our presence, by questions posed to us like, “How can you believe in all that religious stuff?” Gnawed at by what is written or what’s said on social media or TV. So, what are we to do? How do we persevere in the race? 

Well, each of us is different and we persevere in different ways. Most of us aren’t comfortable standing up in a crowd defending our faith. Most of us are not steeped in our theology to go toe to toe with attackers. Most of us are, however, holy people who are walking that path to Jesus Christ every day. And because of that, we are in fact equipped to persevere because of what Jesus has given us.

We all remember the quote from Jesus to His disciples: “Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to each of us so that we can turn to Him in prayer for help. Pray on the spot, and He will help. He may not give us a great speech to make, but He will give us a heartfelt response. A response that affirms our stand like:

“All I know is that Jesus Christ has made an enormous difference in my life.”

Or, “I have found peace with Jesus at my side in this life and He helps me cope with all of the challenges I face.”

Or, “In the quiet of my heart, Jesus has found a home.”

Quietly making these statements or praying these statements affirms and strengthens us to persevere. It’s not a counter punch. It’s not dramatic. It’s not arguing or going toe to toe, but it is love and it is an invitation to others. 

If society is wearing you out, pray for stronger belief, pray for the Holy Spirit to help and He will. And remember, when its two vs three, the second person standing next to us is Jesus Christ. He stands with us. 

Persevere in running the race.