A homily on Luke 11:15–26 inspired by the sequoia tree and Ecclesiastes 4:9–12, calling Christians and families to overcome division and stand strong together in Christ’s love. (10-10-25)
Praise be to Jesus Christ
Sequoia trees are the tallest trees in the world. It is said that some of the sequoia trees could grow more than 300 feet high. The life span of a sequoia tree can be more than a thousand years. As we hear about such huge trees, it is possible that, we may think such great trees must have deep roots. But in reality their roots are actually shallow. However, the secret of their strength lies not in deep roots but in something else. A sequoia tree, usually does not grow alone but they grow in group and their roots spread wide and intertwine beneath the soil. The root of one tree could travel meters and make a round of the root of other sequoia trees. Every sequoia tree does the same. So when storms or strong winds come, the trees hold each other up. A single sequoia standing alone would easily fall, but together they stand firm for centuries. It really reminds us the proverb united we stand and divided we fall.
This truth from the nature helps us understand the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel; “Every kingdom divided against itself will fall” (Luke 11:17). What Jesus said in the Gospel is indeed true today.
Our families, our Church, and our Christian communities are not destroyed from the outside first—they weaken from within, through division. How true this is in our times. Families are divided by pride, by old hurts never healed. Religious communities are divided by jealousy or misunderstandings. Even the Church that carries the name of Christ suffers when Christians fight among themselves.
We, Christians, are divided for everything: by rites, by traditions, by ways of worship. Once, these differences helped faith to take root in different cultures. But now, sadly, they have become reasons for quarrel. We need to accept the reality with tears that in the very land where Christianity started we may find only very few Christians. It was the fact that even in the early centuries believers argued over liturgy and theology and they were fighting each other to prove themselves right. As a result when persecution started, their divisions weakened them, and eventually faith faded. The same can happen to us. A divided heart, a divided family, or a divided Church becomes empty soon.
The Wisdom the Book of Ecclesiastes gives is valid at every time “Two are better than one, for if they fall, one will lift up the other. And though one might be overpowered, two can defend themselves; a cord of three strands is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12). These words of wisdom tell us that unity is not just a comfort but it is a protection and a need. When we stand together, we stand strong and no one can defeat us and when we are separated and divided, we become weak.
In our families, this means learning to forgive and to speak kindly and deal lovingly. In religious life, it means supporting one another rather than competing. In our Church, it means celebrating our different traditions without letting them divide us. It is good to understand that unity is not about being the same, but it is about being bound together in love.
Lord Jesus, unite us in love . Amen
