Many years ago a young high school senior came to speak to me. He was raised as an Evangelical Protestant and his girl friend, a cradle Catholic, sparked his interest in Catholicism through the many conversations that they had had about religion. He was doing a lot of reading, especially Dr. Scott Hahn's conversion story, and he was ready to begin formal instructions. However, he faced a serious dilemma. He told me that his parents were anti-Catholic, and if in fact he did convert to Catholicism, it would cause division in his family.
As the young man spoke, I listened attentively, and then I opened up my Bible and read to him these words from the Gospel:
“From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Luke 12: 52-53).
I have been a Catholic priest for almost twenty years. All throughout these twenty years I have experienced the truth of these words from Our Lord. The experience has been intense. (Homily continued here.)
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