Author: admin

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Gospel: Lk. 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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“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 “fire” of God’s divine, red-hot love.

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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 see this divine fire at work in the lives of the Saints, who put God first in their lives.

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But, if you’re not in a good place spiritually, then that same divine “fire” can feel painful as it purifies.

For example, the first day of sobriety can feel like fire to an addict. But it’s a good thing; the Lord is burning away an addiction.

Telling the truth can feel like fire to someone caught in a lie. The Lord is burning away dishonesty.

Forgiving a deep-seeded wound can feel like fire to someone who’s been nursing a grudge. But the Lord is burning the anger out of a person’s heart.

An act of humility can feel like fire to our ego.

Honesty, self-control, forgiveness, and humility … these are all good things! They’re necessary for spiritual growth and healthy relationships. They’re the fruit of God’s Spirit working in our lives!

In order for these virtues to grow, God must melt away our pride. That’s hard. It burns. It’s fire.

Are there parts of me that need the Lord’s purifying touch?

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“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing,”the Lord says. May the spark of God’s divine love be ignited within us today.

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Image credits: (1) Group Bible Study, Google Images, Set the Earth on Fire (2) Bishop Robert Barron, Twitter, Sprout Social (3) Catholic Exchange, Set the World on Fire

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Gospel: Luke 12: 39-48

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly. 
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“Students, please take out two sheets of paper and a sharpened pencil. Begin answering the questions on the board. You’ll have thirty minutes to complete your work.”

“Yes, this is a pop quiz.”

In high school, those five alarming words – this is a pop quiz– made my stomach drop. 

As an achiever who tried earning good grades, if I was caught off guard or unprepared, then I shrieked inside. 

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In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to, “Be like servants who await their master’s return.” 

Like a high school teacher announcing a pop quiz, we simply don’t know when he’s coming back. It’s best to be ready.

But is the Lord’s return something we should fear? Or is it something we should welcome? 

I suppose a large part of our answer depends upon our image of God. So, who is God to me?

Is God like a distant father figure? A stickler for rules who holds me accountable for every little misstep?

Or is God my shepherd, my intimate friend, who loves me and illumines my path?

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God is a gentle shepherd, our companion through life. As Jesus says after washing his disciples feet, “I no longer call you servants, but friends.”

If God is our friend, then awaiting his return is not something to fear; rather, we should welcome him – and invite him into our hearts every day.

Because God comes not to harm, but to save us.

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Image credits: (1) Keep Calm-o-Matic (2) Geek Alerts (3) J. Kirk Richards

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2 Timothy 4: 10 -17:

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

The Word of the Lord.

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Our first reading captures the story of three Christians with different experiences of faith.

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The first was Demas.

Demas was once a believer; Paul wrote about him in his earlier letters. But sadly, Demas became, “enamored with the world.”

For some reason, he lost his faith…and, by extension, his soul.

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Then there’s Saint Mark.

Mark and Paul once ministered together, but Mark abandoned Paul on one of their early missionary journeys, perhaps out of fear of persecution.

Paul calls upon Mark from his prison cell in Rome, where the two are eventually reconciled and later martyred.

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Finally, there’s Saint Luke, whose feast day we celebrate today.

Paul says that Luke was, “the only one with me.” He was consistently faithful and never gave up.

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Three Christians. Three different stories.

One lost his faith. Another struggled with it. Another was steadfastly loyal.

Each remind us that faith comes at a cost.

May the Lord give us the strength we need to be faithful, whatever the cost may be.

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Image credits: (1) (2) Christianity Today (3) Verbum Bible