My journey to holiness is not smooth. It is rough, and I need to maintain a balance. There are times when I need to maneuver crucial moments in my life. Curves are plenty, but I look forward to traversing on a straight road.
The first reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians is a reminder to me, as today I pray, “that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones……and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.” I pray for that instruction in love that will fortify me through life’s difficulties and allow me to live out the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ.
The gospel today surprised me when Jesus says, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.” I believe that this is a kind of human emotion being revealed to us from the human nature of the Lord when He too experienced anguish and betrayal which led to His crucifixion.
This gospel makes me feel unsettled but there are lessons we need to ponder on:
Frist, Jesus’ commitment to share the message of the Father so that people may find God continuously putting forward the seriousness of His work for the salvation of all, which means, the earth has been set with the power of the Holy Spirit symbolizing “fire.”
Second, Jesus speaks of the passivity of the people to accept His message. Jesus is wishing it “were already blazing.” The healing of the hearts of men is seemingly hard because of the freedom God gifted all of us. I guess it is easy for God to impose all that He wanted to fulfill; however, He respects our decision to make our personal commitment. We have to make our voices clear and be heard, so that we too can influence others.
At the end of today’s gospel, Jesus says, “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….” Yes, it is difficult to understand this, yet it is easier to accept that some people committed themselves to be faithful followers of Jesus, and there are some that reject Jesus, even today, which causes division among our families and community.
I can imagine that Jesus’ eyes see that the Holy Spirit works in my heart and others. Jesus is inviting you and me to receive it fully and open our hearts to it no matter what the results, even discord in my own family. We need courage when we are different from them as long as we walk in the path of goodness and righteousness to see through us His divine presence burning in us.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa