Holy Smoke

Thursday of the Twenty ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Eph 3:14-21

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

Gospel Lk 12:49-53

Homily:

It is somewhat ironic today that Paul’s first reading contains a family prayer and the Gospel of St. Luke has Jesus saying that his message will divide families. Of course, what the Lord said was correct – he did come to set the whole world on fire.

At the point in time he said this, he and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem for that fateful final time. Jesus is aware of what is coming his way. (“There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!”) Being fully human, his impending passion and death must frighten him.

He asks his disciples if they think he has come to bring peace to the earth. On the face of it, that question sounds like an easy one. Can’t you see St. Peter looking at the other disciples and then, after a brief pause, looking back at the Lord and saying; “Well, yes.”

We can feel the expectation of the disciples. They have been following Jesus now for some time and have heard, over and over again, his commandment to love one another. This sounds like a commandment that would bring peace to the world.

But Jesus tells them that the message he brings will do just the opposite. He says; “No, I tell you, but rather division.” He knows that while his message will catch some and light them on fire with the Holy Spirit, others will reject the message of peace, the message of consolation, the message of love. It is a hard message and one that flies in the face of self interest and hedonism.

Yes the Gospel today sounds somewhat contentious. On the surface we may feel that the message Jesus delivered all those years ago was intended only for his time and place in history. But all we need to do is look around us. While the Lord loves all peoples in the world, even today his message divides families and nations. And the fire he spoke of when he said; “I have come to set the earth on fire…” That fire still burns in our brothers and sister who take the word where it is not welcome.

And what of us? Do we live in a place and time where the word of Christ and his message of love for one another is readily accepted and lived? No, if we are taking and living the word, we certainly find the divisions. We find them in the classroom were the word is now forbidden; we find it in the work place were, not the Christmas season approaches, but the Holiday season, for fear of pointing out how Jesus forever changed the world.

Are we fearless in the face of the resistance, blatant of subtle we face? Are we courageous in the name of Jesus? Are we fire on the face of the earth? We hope so.

Pax