Faith & Mission
Gospel Breakdown - Luke 12:49-53
Week beginning 17 August
1. Text: What does it say? “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, 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 daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
2. Message: What is Jesus’ message? With all of the divisiveness present in society these days, it seems like the last thing we need is a gospel text that seemingly encourages more division. Whether it be to attend church, go to seminary, engage in social justice issues, etc. the gospel’s effects can create division. The problem may not lie in the division itself, but in how we respond to the divisions that happen in our lives.
3. Response & Image: What is being asked of us? Do we allow ourselves to hear God’s call again and again, or do we rest comfortably in our perfect church attendance or other human work? Another way to put this is: Why do we insist on pretending to ignore the injustices around us? Most likely the answer is that we don’t want to see what’s really happening or our role in the injustices of the world. There is clearly an opportunity to talk about the “elephant in the room” for many contexts. Simply naming an issue might be gospel for many, and may be that crucial event that changes everything. It may lead to division, but, we have to trust that God is at work in all situations, and remember that God has claimed us in our baptisms, not because we’ve been perfect Christians.
The Feast of the Assumption: Saying "Yes" Like Mary
On 15 August, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption, a day in the Church that honours Mary, the mother of Jesus. It reminds us not only of her significance in the life of Christ, but also of the courage and faith she showed when she said “yes” to God’s call. Mary’s openness to a great challenge, one that would change the course of her life and the world, stands as an enduring example of strength, trust, and hope.
Mary’s “yes” was not easy. She was young, unsure, and faced an uncertain future. Yet she chose to respond with faith rather than fear. In this, Mary shows us what it means to embrace opportunities that stretch and shape us into people of courage and compassion.
As young women in today’s world, we are invited to follow Mary’s example by saying “yes” to the opportunities before us. These opportunities might be chances to learn, to lead, to serve others, or to step outside our comfort zones just to give something a try we never considered before. Just as Mary’s decision brought light and life to her community, our own choices can make a real difference in our school, families, and the wider world.
The Feast of the Assumption reminds us that Mary’s story is not only about the past, it speaks directly to our lives today. Each time we say “yes” to growth, to justice, to kindness, and to new possibilities, we walk in her footsteps. Now more than ever, modern women are called to shape a better future, for ourselves and for those around us.
May this feast inspire us all to be brave enough to say “yes.”
Ms Hannah Hale
Director of Faith & Mission