Luke 12:49
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!
Readings for Sunday: Jeremiah, Hebrews, Luke
Reflection:
We all get passionate about something. It might be the Cubs, our careers, or celebrity gossip just to name a few. But Jesus calls us to be on fire for Him. In Luke 12:49, He declares, “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!” His “baptism” is his Passion, Death and Resurrection.
We look at our world and see violence, division, and death. Humanity has a problem. If someone offered a cure for death itself, wouldn’t you be excited? Jesus does exactly that. One challenge for us in appreciating what Jesus does for us is that we don’t properly understand death. A human is the unity of body and soul; death, a consequence of sin, is the tearing apart of a human, the separation of body and soul. When Jesus, in his humanity, rose from the dead, his human body and soul were reunited and transformed to live forever. He now offers a share in his new life, to all of us: we too can be resurrected to live forever in and with him.
For that reason, our relationship with Jesus must be primary, even to our relationship with our family. Our relationship with Jesus is not opposed to our relationship with our family members; in fact, when we authentically love Jesus, we will authentically love our family even more! However, there is an order of precedence, and hence Jesus’ admonition: “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… a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter…” We must be on fire with the love of Jesus, even if our family members do not approve, as it is Jesus who is the source of everlasting life.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean for me personally to be “on fire” for Jesus, and what habits in my daily life show that my relationship with Him is my highest priority?
- In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about division because of Him. How do I love and try to maintain unity with others, while putting Christ first?
- If my faith is like a fire that needs tending, what practical steps can I take this week to “stoke” that fire so that it doesn’t grow lukewarm or cold?