Today is Thursday the 26th of October, in the 29th week of ordinary time.

The monks of Pluscate and Abbey sing Echekwambonum, how good and how pleasant it is when

brothers and sisters live together in unity. It is like precious oil on the head, running

down upon the beard on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.

The monks of Pluscate and Abbey sing Echekwambonum, how good and how pleasant it is when

brothers and sisters live together. Today's reading is from the gospel of Luke.

I came to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were already kindled. I have a baptism

with which to be baptized and what stress I am under until it is completed. Do you think

that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now

on, five in one household will be divided. Three against two and two against three. They

will be divided. Father against son and son against father. Mother against daughter and

daughter against mother. Mother in law against her daughter in law and daughter in law against

mother in law. How do you reconcile this with your usual way of seeing and understanding

Jesus and his message in today's passage? Notice how you sit with this talk of division.

Jesus expects his message to foster divisions within families, father against son, mother opposing

daughter. How true is this to your own experience?

What is it about the teaching of Jesus that in your view will cause so much dissension?

Hearing the passage again, try to see how it might be regarded as good news.

I came to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were already kindled. I have a baptism

with which to be baptized and what stress I am under until it is completed. Do you think

that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now

on, five in one household will be divided. Three against two and two against three. They will be

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