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Gospel: Matthew 10:34 – 11:1
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s enemies will be those of his household.“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
What is this “fire” Jesus is referring to? Certainly not the red-hot flames that singe and destroy. Rather, the “fire” of his divine love.
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If we are in a good place spiritually, then God’s fiery presence is a blessing. As the Psalmist proclaims, “Your word is a lamp for my path and a light – a fire – for my steps.”
That same divine presence fills our heart with fiery passion. As the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed, “Your WORD is like a fire in my bones; woe to me if I do not preach it!”
We often speak of people who are divinely inspired as being “on fire” with God’s Spirit.
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However, if we are not in a good place spiritually, then that same divine fire can burn as it purifies our hearts.
For example, the first day of sobriety can feel like fire to an addict. But God is mercifully burning away an addiction that once held a person captive.
Telling the truth can feel like fire to someone caught in a lie. But God is burning away dishonesty. As it’s written elsewhere, “The Truth shall set you free.”
Forgiving a deep-seeded wound can feel like fire to someone who’s been nursing a grudge, but God is burning away the anger from a person’s heart.
An act of humility can feel like fire to our ego. But humility is always superior to pride.
Sobriety, honesty, forgiveness, humility, these are all good things! They’re necessary for healthy relationships and spiritual growth. But they can feel like fire to a person who is coming out of the darkness.
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Where does God’s presence feel like a soothing fire or a guiding light? And where might it burn?
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“I have come to set the earth on fire,” Jesus says, “and how I wish it were already blazing.” Lord, give us the welcome your evermore into our hearts, even when it burns.
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Image credits: (1) Pantocrator, Sinai (2) Peak Beings Yoga (3) AnaStPaul