***
Gospel: Luke 12: 49-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
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 a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
What is this “fire” that Jesus is referring to?
***
The divine “fire” of his red-hot love.
***
If you are in a good place spiritually, then that love feels like a “fire” in the best sense of the word – God’s love warms you and illumines your path.
As the Psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp for my path and a light – a ‘fire’ – for my steps.”
God’s love can also fill your heart with fiery passion. As the prophet Jeremiah says, “Your WORD is like a fire in my bones; woe to me if I do not preach it!”
We also see this divine fire at work in the lives of the Saints, who put God first in their lives.
***
But, if you’re not in a good place spiritually, then that same divine “fire” can be painful as it purifies the heart.
For example, the first day of sobriety can feel like fire to an addict. But what is God doing? Burning away an addiction that once held them captive.
Telling the truth can feel like fire to someone caught in a lie. But God is burning away dishonesty in a relationship.
Forgiving a deep-seated wound can feel like fire to someone who’s been nursing a grudge. But God is burning the anger out of their heart.
An act of humility can feel like fire to our ego. But humility is always superior to pride.
Honesty, self-control, forgiveness, and humility … these are all good things! They’re necessary for spiritual growth and healthy relationships. But sometimes they burn; that’s the purifying hand of God at work in our lives.
***
Where in my heart does that divine fire soothe? Where does it burn?
***
“I have come to set the earth on fire!” the Lord says. He has come to purify. May it begin with me.
***
***
Image credits: (1) The Pilgrims’ Center, Facebook (2) Names of Jesus (3) Ursuline Sisters Mission