A Christian does not live content with the status quo. To do so would imply that our world is freed from the grip of sin. But just a quick glimpse shows us that this is not the case. A Christian does, however, live hopeful and confident following Christ, who came into this world because it needed healing and renewal.
In today’s gospel, Jesus says he comes to bring division to the world and not peace. There are times we settle for a false sense of peace, perfectly okay with relationships, habits and structures that are less than ideal. But Christ comes to shake us out of this comfort, breaking up our world as we know it, only to put it back together in a better way. He places us “against” one another that we might look at each other in the eyes and encounter one another, perhaps for the first time. Conflicts often lead to a resolution where things are set right. But as long as we live, the struggle will continue. We will do well to cling to Christ, our Prince of Peace.