OT EVERYONE WILL UNDERSTAND YOUR YES

July 14, 2025 Monday within the 15th week in Ordinary Time: Year C Mt 10:34–11:1 There are moments in life when doing the right thing doesn’t feel rewarding—it feels isolating. I’ve learned this both as a priest and as a person. When Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword,” He wasn’t encouraging conflict, but acknowledging a painful truth: real transformation often disrupts comfort. Sometimes choosing what is right, healing, and true doesn’t lead to applause—it leads to tension. And for someone like me, who longs for harmony, that inner and outer conflict can be emotionally draining. I’ve often found myself carrying emotional tension between being faithful to what I believe and maintaining peace in relationships. Whether in family dynamics, ministry, or friendships, there’s an internal ache that comes from being misunderstood. It’s tempting to retreat or compromise just to avoid the discomfort. But this Gospel reminds me that psychological and spiritual growth almost always involve a kind of rupture—a breaking away from what was safe to embrace what is deeper, more authentic, and often more painful. What consoles me is this: Jesus not only warned of the struggle, He participated in it. After sending out His disciples, He continued the journey, teaching and walking into the very same resistance. That tells me that I’m not alone in the emotional exhaustion or the inner turmoil that comes with choosing truth. In the most psychological sense, Jesus validates our pain and models the resilience we need. He teaches us to hold tension with courage, to let go of people-pleasing, and to keep walking with purpose—even when our hearts feel tired. That’s not just faith—it’s healing. Blessings Fr. Jhack