A Poem on Christ's Sword and His Peace

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword."
--Mt 10:34

Since today's Gospel reading (Mt 10:32-11:1) contains Christ's statement that He brings a sword, and since we frequently call Him "Prince of Peace," I thought today would be a good day to post a poem attempting to reconcile this seeming contradiction in Christ.


He brings peace, yet gives a sword: 
How to reconcile these? 
But one man who's divinized 
will be a sign of conflict: 
Yet a people divinized 
will be truly a race of peace. 
Thus peace He gives to each man 
and 'til ev'ry man has peace 
swords will come on peaceful men: 
from a man goes peace to men. 
 

Text ©2013 Brandon P. Otto.  Licensed via CC BY-NC.  Feel free to redistribute non-commercially, as long as credit is given to the author.


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