Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 / Hebrews 12:1-4 / Luke 12:49-53
The human brain is classified as an organ. But unlike the other organs of the human body, it is unusual and complex.
The brain plays a role in every one of the body’s functions, controlling many organs, as well as speech and movements, and even has a memory.
And when the brain is referred to as the mind, then that is when the mind is understood as the seat of our thoughts.
And there is nothing in this world that can delight us, or trouble us, more than our own thoughts.
When we are delighted and happy, we will think about and speak about the good things of life, things that are heart-warming and inspiring.
But when our minds are troubled or burdened, then we will tend to be easily annoyed and agitated.
In that state, we will also speak out what is in our minds, and that might surprise some people who may not know us well, or don't know what we are going through.
Our impression of Jesus is that He is loving and forgiving, kind and compassionate, and everything that is good and beautiful is found in Him. Of course, that is true.
But the gospels also did portray Jesus in His more human and ordinary aspect. For example, He wept over Jerusalem, and at the death of his friend Lazarus.
His anger was shown when He drove out those who were doing business in the Temple.
And in today's gospel, we could sense that there was something troubling and burdening the mind of Jesus.
What He said in the gospel may even surprise us too. Especially when he said this: Do you suppose that I'm here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
We could feel that Jesus was serious with what He said. And we could also feel that He was anxious, that something was disturbing and troubling His mind.
And we could have guessed then Jesus was thinking about His suffering and death on the Cross.
That was the baptism He was talking about, and He revealed that He was in great distress till it was over.
It was a distress that He would feel sharply in His agony at the Garden of Gethsemane.
But we are certainly consoled and comforted to know that Jesus had His troubles and distress, and that He would understand how we feel when we have ours.
And yes, there is nothing in this world that can trouble us more than our own thoughts.
But the mind is also like a cup. Whether it is half filled or half empty, it can be refilled.
Now let's say, we are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into us or shakes our arm, making us spill the coffee everywhere.
Why did we spill the coffee? Because someone bumped into us!!! Wrong answer. We spilled the coffee because there was coffee in our cup. Had there been tea in the cup we would have spilled tea.
Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.
Therefore, when life comes along and rattles us, which will certainly happen, whatever is inside us will come out. We can’t fake it.
So, we have to ask ourselves, “What is in my cup? When life gets tough what spills over?”
The mind is like a cup. We choose what to fill it with.
Jesus tells us what was troubling and distressing Him in His mind.
But at the Garden of Gethsemane, He emptied whatever was troubling and distressing His mind when He accepted the will of God and went on to face the Cross.
May the Cross of Jesus clear out the troubling and distressing thoughts in our minds.
Like Jesus, let us accept the will of God so that the Cross of Jesus will fill our minds with love, peace and joy. Then gentleness, kindness and forgiveness will flow out of our minds into our words and actions.
And yes, nothing is more delightful than when our mind is filled with the Cross of Jesus.