I strongly believe that separation, segregation, division are all the goals of the evil one! And those especially who do not know the Lord our God are more susceptible to the ploys of the evil one; which has given rise to racial discrimination, ethnic cleansing, all sorts of prejudices and biases. For the scatterer seeks to scatter!
Jesus came into the world to gather all unto Himself, for He had said “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” Jn 12:32 For God our Heavenly Father so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son not to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jn 3:17 And through Jesus we become One Body in Him. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 1 Cor 12:13-14
Yet free will has been given to each and everyone so that they might choose by their own accord to love the Lord our God. And so even within our very own families there can be division when family members choose to go their own way. Far from the love of God! Far from the prince of Peace who offers the peace that the world cannot give!
Lord Jesus for me and my household, we will serve You now and forever. Amen
________
First reading
Exodus 1:8-14,22 ·
The Egyptians force the sons of Israel into slavery
There came to power in Egypt a new king who knew nothing of Joseph. ‘Look,’ he said to his subjects ‘these people, the sons of Israel, have become so numerous and strong that they are a threat to us. We must be prudent and take steps against their increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might add to the number of our enemies. They might take arms against us and so escape out of the country.’ Accordingly they put slave-drivers over the Israelites to wear them down under heavy loads. In this way they built the store-cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the more they were crushed, the more they increased and spread, and men came to dread the sons of Israel. The Egyptians forced the sons of Israel into slavery, and made their lives unbearable with hard labour, work with clay and with brick, all kinds of work in the fields; they forced on them every kind of labour.
Pharaoh then gave his subjects this command: ‘Throw all the boys born to the Hebrews into the river, but let all the girls live.’
________
Gospel
Matthew 10:34-11:1
It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.
‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.
‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’
When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
CatholicJules.net 