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.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.Why does Jesus say that He is going to bring division, and why does He wish it were already so? Well we have to first explore what God means by fire. But do not be confused, He literally means fire, and literally means that He wishes the world was ablaze. Lets begin with God himself. He is a burning fire of love, the angels closest to Him are called seraphim. This word translates to “the burning ones.” Because they are on fire. But this fire is not the fire that burns away hay and straw like fire does in this world. Gods fire only burns away one thing, sin.
Frank Sheed when talking about eternity, uses a very different explanation than most are used to. He says eternity is not a measurement of time, but instead, a measurement of perfection. Time is a gift from God, that is given to all of us who are not perfect yet, and need to reconcile our sin with God. God is already perfect, He does not need to change, He does not need to improve, He is the quintessence of perfection in every way.
So our lives then, are a series of steps towards perfection, and a purging of sin from our lives. When we die, if we are in a loving relationship with God, we can be assured of purgatory, where the final burning away of the last remnants of our sin will happen. When we are completely free of sin, then (and only then) can we finally enter the presence of God Himself, and bask in the glory of His love and perfection. If we have even the slightest remnant of sin in ourselves, we will not be able to bear the pain of His burning fire of love. This is why there is pain in purgatory, because we are close enough to God to see Him, and desire Him, but also close enough that our sin burns in our hearts.
Finally, this is why those in hell are also in pain, because they are also close enough to God to feel the pain of their sin, but because of their rejection of God, and their attachment to sin, they suffer in their imperfection and sin for eternity.
So when Jesus says that He wishes the world were ablaze, He is longing for that sin to be burned away from us, so that He can be with us all, for eternity, in perfection.
The thing that God wants more than anything, is for each and every one of us to be in a loving relationship with Him, and the only thing that prevents that from happening is sin. So ask yourself what is the thing that is keeping you from getting closer to God, and start today the process of burning that out of your heart.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, today please help me to be a light of goodness and righteousness, and to bring the peace, and truth of your word into the world.