REFLECTION FOR THE 20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C
Hopefully, none of us have experienced actually being on fire. I remember a long time ago, when Ruthie was preparing supper, her sleeve caught on fire. She moved immediately to the living room and rolled on the carpet extinguishing the flames before they could harm her. When people catch on fire, they have got to do something about it. Today, Jesus tells us that he has come to set the earth on fire. He wishes the earth was already blazing and experiences anguish until it is accomplished.
Jesus stating that he has not come to establish peace but division, knows that when the Word of God confronts the Sin of our world, peace will not be the immediate result. Sin will not capitulate to God’s Word without a great struggle. There are going to be a lot of people who will want to hold on to the greed and division of our world and oppose the Gospel of Love. There will be division. That division will split families, cultures, and religions. Judaism at the time of Jesus was bitterly divided with many different factions within the religion fighting one another. And those enslaved to the world will do everything they can to silent God’s Gospel of Love.
A case in point, the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was probably one of the most reluctant of prophets. Every time he opens his mouth to speak against the behavior of the Israelites, he gets into trouble. He once complained to God that he wants to keep his mouth shut and to just be left alone. But the fire of prophecy burns within him so greatly, that to get relief, he has to speak out against the sins of the people. In today’s reading, people plot his death for speaking out, throw him in a cistern, then abandon him to starve to death. Jeremiah’s plight is no different from that of Elijah, who was always on the lam avoiding death at the hands of King Ahab, or that of Elisha. Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, spoke out against King Herod, and ended up arrested and executed.
Jesus tell us today, that as his disciples, he wants us on fire with the Gospel. He doesn’t just want us sitting around and doing nothing about it. He wants us out in the world spreading that fire, like the prophets of old But he doesn’t want us to think that it will be a cake walk for us. He wants us to be aware that being on fire with the Gospel carries with it, consequences. We will have people, some of them family members, some of them neighbors, some of them members of our own religions who will oppose us, and oppose us openly. They may make our lives very difficult, but we should not be faint of heart. The Gospel will prevail.
The author of Hebrews tells us that first need we will need to address the conflict, the opposition that we will experience within our lives. Each one of us have weaknesses, prejudices and sins that will want to extinguish the fire of God in our lives. We must face these and with the power and strength of God, overcome them. Then, as we move forward allowing the fire of God to fill our lives and begin to live it in word and action, we will need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. As Jesus was victorious over the Sin of the world, so we, too, will experience that same victory.
Jesus calls on us today to be on fire with the Gospel. If we are truly on fire with the Gospel, then we must respond not passively, but actively do something about it.
