August 13, 2025

Dear Parishioners,

Following Jesus and living the Gospel can bring about hardship, division, and opposition. And although the message is not new to us, it bears hearing again because it helps us understand and give meaning to our trial and suffering-and offers us hope that there is redemption in the suffering.

When we love out our faith, we might run against the values of society, and this can lead to problems. This is very clear when Jeremiah is lowered into a cistern full of mud-possible to die of hunger-because the message he brings the people of Israel from God is “weakening the resolve” of the soldiers and the people. He is not telling them what the princes of Israel want them to hear, so the princes try to have him killed. In the end, it is a court official, a man of integrity and honesty, who pleads for Jeremiah’s release, and he was drawn out of the cistern before he should die.

Jesus himself was killed in a cruel and humiliating way because his message about the kingdom of God did not conform to the understanding of religious leaders. He embraced this suffering and death to redeem us, and was drawn out of the tomb-raised by God from the dead-so that we may no longer die but have eternal life.

In the Gospel, Jesus explicitly says that he has come to bring about division-not always political, but often much deeper and more difficult: a division among family members. In striving to carry out the teachings of Jesus, we may be called to behave in ways that conflict with the understanding of the people we love or of society. As we know, Jesus was often in conflict with the Pharisees because he placed love and care for people over the sabbath law. He warns us that as we follow him and put his teachings at the center of our lives, we may also come into conflict and face division.

How do we best navigate this joyous path of discipleship when it brings conflict and division? The Letter to the Hebrews offers us insight and hope, saying, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us.

This great...cloud of witnesses are the saints, our brothers and sisters in faith who have shown by their example that the gift of faith can withstand the tumult and difficulties of this life. Our particular circumstance may differ, but the universal experience of suffering means that those who went before us know what we are facing, and in their proven faithfulness and their prayers for us, we too, can complete the race.

We can also as to our personal cloud of witnesses the people we loved who have gone before us. Their encouragement, in addition to the graces we receive in the sacraments, strengthen us for the journey.

Finally, we are exhorted in our troubles to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. Who better than Jesus can we turn to when, in following him, we face difficulties and persecution? Therefore, as we contemplate the challenges of being true Christians, we know we can find strength through Jesus and inspiration and encouragement from those who have lived faithful lives.

God Love Ya,
Fr. Reilly