Family members often disagree about politics. This might show up more in election years like now. In 2020, a young woman tweeted “If you’re in Michigan and 18+ pls for the love of god do not vote for my dad for state rep. tell everyone.”
A more well known example is the teenage daughter of Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to President Trump. Among other disagreements with her mother, the daughter encouraged her Twitter followers to vote Mr. Trump out of office.
In Sunday’s gospel reading, Luke’s picture of the divided family contradicts many dreams about happy families united in faith. The early Christian movement brought about much family divisiveness.
The words of Jesus in the gospel reading unsettle us, yet they are spoken for a reason. Jesus’ words are incendiary and speak of broken relationships, they are meant to prompt the people’s faithful response: to lay aside anxiety and greed and to turn their hearts to the treasures of God’s promised kingdom, where Christ takes division upon himself on the cross.
While fully aware of the realities of conflict and division, we are to live as hopeful people, praying fervently for God’s compassion and for the restoration of right relationships.