Division and the Conditions and Rewards of Discipleship (Mt. 10:34-42)

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. 35 For I have come to set a man ‘against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and one’s enemies will be those of his 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 his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.  39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  40 Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.  41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward.  42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.

Jesus introduced a new concept of peace where the peace he brings is not between men but between God and man.  He brings a peace that man cannot give (Jn. 14:27), and the sword he brings that will cause division, even among households, is his word (Heb. 4:12). 

If we are disciples of Jesus, we must be totally dedicated to him and love him and his Father above all else.  The closest family relationships are not as important as following Jesus even to crucifixion.  This was foretelling what would happen in the early Christian community where family members had to choose between the demands of their faith and betrayal by family members who did not believe in Jesus.  Believers are members of the family of God (Mt. 10:29-31) and are watched over by God so they should not be afraid (Mt. 10:26, 28, 31).  Anyone who is willing to lose his/her earthly life for Christ will find everlasting life with God. 

Whoever accepts those sent by Christ and his Father accepts Christ, and whoever accepts Christ accepts the Father, “Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me (Jn. 13:20).”  A welcome or kindness given to even the least of those who come in Christ’s name will not go unrewarded.

Almighty God, we serve your Son in this life not to receive an earthly reward but to have everlasting life with him.  Grant us the grace to pick up our crosses and follow him as he drags his cross to Calvary for the salvation of souls.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.