In today's Gospel, Jesus says that he has come to bring fire on the earth.

There is a long tradition in the Bible of God appearing as fire.

When Abraham made his covenant with the Lord, the Lord appeared as a flaming torch to ratify the pact.

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit descends on the gathered disciples as tongues of fire.

 

St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Ephesians 3:14-21

And now

I kneel in the presence of the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth has received its name.

May he strengthen in you, the inner self, through his Spirit, according to the riches of his glory; may Christ dwell in your hearts, through faith; may you be rooted and founded in love.

 

All of this, so that you may understand, with all the holy ones, the width, the length, the height and the depth – in a word, that you may know the love of Christ, that surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled, and reach the fullness of God.

Glory to God, who shows his power in us, and can do much more than we could ask or imagine; glory to him, in the Church, and in Christ Jesus, through all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19  The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊

Luke 12:49-53

I have come to bring fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what anguish I feel until it is finished!

Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, in one house five will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

They will be divided, father against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Make a wise decision."

A wise stewardship ends with a wise decision. Today's Gospel invites us to decide and make a stand for Jesus. We may begin by reflecting on the point that Jesus is the Prince of Peace (cf. Isa 9:6). However, the Gospel for today tells of Jesus as the one who brought division on earth. What is the meaning of this? We may further reflect on the point that the kind of division which is referred to in today's Gospel does not result from Jesus' original intention.

 

Jesus intends to bring peace on earth but the decision that people have to make may bring division among themselves. The Greek verb used in v. 51 is didőmi "to give”, which may also mean "to cause to happen." Hence, the division being referred to in this context results from the decisions people make whether to accept or not to accept Jesus.

 

Luke, in the beginning of his Gospel, already hinted on the fact that Jesus "is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel and a sign to be contradicted." (Lk 2:34) People have to make their decisions whether to accept Jesus or not. Let us make our decision and stand for Jesus.