Pentecost 13C      Hebrews 11:29-12:2   Luke 12:49-56

Each week I have the great joy of declaring the Gospel of the Lord. The Holy Gospel According to whichever of the four, the reading is done, then This is the Gospel of the Lord, and we all say Thanks Be to God. It is a great privilege to read scriptures to the congregation each week as a lector or as the preacher, and I am always awed and grateful for this privilege. That does not mean, however, that it isn’t occasionally difficult. The gospel, a word which means Good News, is indeed always good, but that does not mean it is always easy to hear. Today was one of those times that reading the gospel text was a little uncomfortable.

This is one ticked off Jesus we have here today! “Do you think I have come to bring peace to…