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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.
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Some of you may still remember a story that made the headlines, capturing global attention for more than two months.
Back in August of 2010, the entrance to a mine in northern Chile collapsed, leaving 33 men trapped nearly half a mile beneath the surface of the earth.
One minute, life was normal. The next, these men were trapped in total darkness, a horrific saga lasting for 69 days.
News of their situation went viral as these miners became known as, “the 33.” A team of international doctors, scientists, and engineers was swiftly assembled in an effort to do the impossible: rescue these men from the hot, humid darkness.
Miraculously, all of them were saved.
As “the 33” were being extracted out of the earth in a custom designed steel rescue capsule, one of the primary threats to their life was, ironically, light.
Although light is necessary for our survival, if we are deprived of it long enough, then instant exposure to it can feel like fire, singeing our eyes and skin.
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In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses strong language to describe his mission. “I have come to set the earth on fire,” he says, “and how I wish it were already blazing!”
What exactly is this “fire” that he is referring to?
Clearly, he isn’t speaking of the physical brush fires enveloping arid parts America and Europe.
Rather, Jesus desires a spiritual fire – a divine inferno – that clears away any part of our lives that does not bring us closer to God or to one another. This is never a destructive blaze; it’s a divine passion that purifies, and yes, at times can burn.
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If we are in a good place spiritually, then God’s love feels like a “fire” in the best sense of the word – it warms and illumines our path.
As the Psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp for my path and a light for my steps.”
God’s love also fills us with enthusiasm. As the prophet Jeremiah cries out from a muddy cistern in our first reading, “Your WORD is like a fire in my bones; woe to me if I do not preach it!”
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But, if we’re not in a good place spiritually, then that same “fire” of divine love can feel painful as it purifies our hearts, ridding it of sin.
For example, the first day of sobriety can feel like fire to an addict. But through the sobriety, God is burning away an addiction that might otherwise destroy a person’s life.
Telling the truth can feel like fire to someone caught in a lie. But through the honesty, God is burning away the dishonest tendencies that can rupture a relationship.
Forgiving a deep-seated wound can feel like fire to someone who’s been nursing a grudge. But through the forgiveness, God is burning away the anger that steals our peace.
Discipline, honesty, and forgiveness… these are all good things! They’re necessary for spiritual growth and healthy relationships.
But, in order for these virtues to grow, the Lord must purify our flesh . That’s hard. It burns.
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Think about those Chilean miners stuck inside a cave for 69 days. They were deprived of light for so long that immediate exposure to it could’ve seared their eyes and skin. They needed gradual exposure before returning to full communion with the light.
Similarly, the more distant we are from God, the more his love for us can burn like fire as it slowly purifies our lives. But this leads to holiness; peace; and salvation.
As the Book of Wisdom reminds us, “The souls of the just are in the hand of God…because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them.”
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Every soul must journey through that furnace of divine love to be purified. 
So, how does the warmth of God’s love console me?
And where does it feel like a purifying fire?
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“Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us,” the author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes, “and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith.”
Today the Lord comes to set the world on fire with his divine love. How he wishes it were already blazing!
May it begin with us.
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Image credits: (1) Divine Mercy University (2) NPR (3) Planet Photoshop