Gospel for August 17 2025 – Luke 12:49-53
Gospel Reflections for August 17 2025
Decisions …Divisions
Today’s Gospel seems to describe our country well …and maybe even your family too.
It talks about divisions between people …and yet implies they are a good thing. Why is that?
This Gospel was written about a generation after Jesus, when many people had wonderfully chosen to follow Him. However, a family might have some members following Jesus and some remaining in their pagan religion. Families were divided along these lines by the decisions each person made.
Every decision you make has that separating consequence. Every decision divides people into those that follow one path from those who follow another.
The very word “decision” has the same root word from which we have our word “scissor.” That means every decision “cuts” or “divides” or “separates” one group from others by their free choices.
This is the message of today’s Gospel. Our Lord clearly expects us to make a decision to responsibly and maturely choose the path of our life. However, a decision to follow Christ can sometimes divide a family or friends from each other. Yet, this may still be a good thing!
I was in a Catholic High School during the mid-1960’s drug craze. Our Principal was concerned about the summer break and the chance that students might try drugs. He offered a simple decision we could make. When offered drugs, we should firmly reply, “No Thanks …You go your way … I’ll go God’s way.”
That clear decision would ensure our path would avoid their reckless behavior and instead remain with Our Lord. Choosing Christ may separate you from bad people, and even bad classmates … but always a better choice!
We are in a time of great political division in our country as well, where sincere people align with different goals about economics, moral issues, or even world affairs. Moreover, every news event is often instantly portrayed as either helping or hurting one political side or the other. It seems like division all the time.
What makes your Catholic response different is that you always respect people who make decisions different from your own. You may disagree with their choices, and should certainly say so clearly, honestly, and respectfully, but never insult or harm anyone who chooses a different path.
While your choices can separate you from others on a different path, our common humanity under God unites us together.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Your paragraph starting with “We are in a time of great political division”…is the problem in a nutshell. Couldn’t agree more, particularly about “sincere” people and the news media fanning the flames. Excellent observations.
The next paragraph about “respect” is key, except respectfully disagreeing has become problematic and even dangerous in some situations. Rightly or wrongly, many of us just choose to not even try to have the dialogue which is also not a good decision. I will continue to respectfully listen to others with different viewpoints, while keeping my own privately held.
Thank you for your very insightful and straightforward messages.
Thank you for your thoughtful message. Well said!
Love your beautiful words!! I have always said, the only way you win people over is present your side lovingly with good knowledge and love and respect for the other person!! Win them over with love and informative facts to win them over to your side of thinking!!! Overwhelm them with love, respect and good facts!!!!I was in debating at Marymount College and that is what I beautifully learned!! and it works!!!!
With loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,Ffranca
Thank you!
Thank you for writing about political division. I recently lost a friend of 17 years because she and her two daughters accused me of being a racist. I’m conservative and they liberals. I am on the side of collecting all the bad illegals and send them away. They think I should be sympathetic because I came here LEGALLY from Italy. I am not an illegal. I’m a US CITIZEN. I am blessed. This situation has hurt me deeply but stay away from them .
Our Lord, in Luke, Chapter 10, gave advice to His disciples to “Move on” from anyone who will not listen. Very practical advice!
Fire descending from Heaven is what we experienced in our community of Altadena destroying an entire town and many of the homes, businesses.Bankand businesses leaving Chimneys as evidence of their presence.
Our Catholic Church and School along with Lourdes of the West Survived. For which I am
So Appreciative of.
Thanks Jesus ,Mary and Joseph. That is all we truly need. Love to all that helped us!
Dear Tom Joyce,
So very sorry to hear that you suffered this way. Our grandson, Kory, works for the Forest Service in Arizona, and he is a wildland fire fighter. Please keep him in your prayers.
God bless!
Kathleen
Yes, indeed.
Yes, I was greatly relieved to hear of the survival of St. Elizabeth’s, my home from 1982 to 1986. Great memories!
Dear Father Dave,
Thank you for your reflection on today’s Gospel.
Yes, divisions in thought and principle can separate people from friends and family. Hopefully, mending this wound is so beautiful that the rift becomes insanely ridiculous.
Perhaps this “division” in a profound way is the crooked path to our ultimate understanding of God’s truth and love.
As individuals with free will some will love cake and others will love pie! What is wrong?
I think the wrong is in loving the wrong things.
Our Savior is our cake and pie, and is the most delicious love of our lives.
Yes, way too simple.
God bless!
Kathkeen
Well said! I like the image of delicious food, that is good for us!