Homily: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 / Hebrews 12:1-4 / Luke 12:49-53
17 August 2025
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
We all know — anything worth having comes at a cost. If we want to graduate, we put in the late nights of study. If we want a strong marriage, we learn to be patient and to forgive. Even something as simple as growing a plant requires patience in nurturing it and giving it the proper care. Following Jesus is no different. And to be honest, it is probably the most costly commitment we can make.
Jeremiah in our First Reading simply told the people what God wanted them to know — that they needed to change their ways or disaster would come. However, instead of thanking him, the leaders saw him as a threat and threw him into a muddy well. He stood sinking in mud, cold, dark, alone just because he stayed faithful to his mission from God. (Back then it seemed like such a terrible punishment, yet on stormy weeks, wading in muddy waters is just a regular thing for many of us.)
I am sure that many of us would have had an experience of doing the right thing and getting punished for it. If we refuse to cheat on exams, do our classmates applaud us or do they roll their eyes, instead? If we speak up against corruption in the workplace, are we rewarded or alienated by co-workers? If we caution our friends against drinking too much at a party, do they listen or label us as “the killjoy”? It is not comfortable to stand up for what is right, because more often than not, we will stand alone. Either others are too afraid to side with us or the others are complacent in doing what is wrong.
Life is full of situations that test our resolve for God and all that is good. We need to pray for the courage and strength to persevere. In the Second Reading, the writer suggests that life is a race. It is not a sprint — but rather, a marathon. We will traverse long paths, hills, bumpy roads and if we are not prepared, we will tire easily. Sometimes we even question why we started running in the first place. Nevertheless, the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us — we are surrounded by a “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Let us think of it as having people in the stands cheering us on like the saints and martyrs and even family and friends who have run this race before — all telling us, “Don’t give up. It is worth it.” (As in Konglish expression of encouragement, “Fighting!” or “Paiting!”)
In the Gospel, we hear Jesus say something that is difficult to comprehend: “Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, but rather division.” (Luke 12:51) At first, one may think Jesus enjoys conflict but on the contrary, tension ensues because the righteous who wish to follow Jesus are met with opposition by those who wish to remain ungodly. The reality is, differences in opinion and convictions exist even within families. If we choose Gospel values over comfort, we will surely face moments where not everyone understands our choices.
This is where the hefty “price tag” comes in. Sometimes the cost is misunderstanding. Sometimes it is being left out. Sometimes it is the heartache of knowing people we love do not share our faith. It is a hard pill to swallow but a necessary one because the cost of not following Jesus is much higher. When we ignore God’s voice just to fit in… when we betray our deepest convictions to avoid discomfort… we lose something far more precious — our integrity, our peace, our true self, and eventually our chance at our heavenly inheritance. The Good News is that we do not pay the price alone. Jesus walks with us. And as one church, we have each other — the community of believers. We can rest assured that in times of struggles, we can rely on our brothers and sisters in the Catholic faith to encourage us, pray with us, or simply remind us that we are not alone. That is the Church being the “cloud of witnesses” for each other, walking alongside one another.
It is true that following Jesus has a price tag, but the reward is worth every sacrifice. Just as graduations, healthy relationships, and great harvests do not come cheap — eternal life does not either. The difference is, when we give our “yes” to Jesus, what we gain lasts forever. Moreover, on the day when we finally cross the finish line, we shall not be thinking about what it costs. Rather, we will be rejoicing that we paid the price, because nothing compares to the joy of being with Him forever.
Neil McBride Art (Marathon Run)
Sunday Gospel Reflections 