In the Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year
C, Jesus continues His sermon that has run in Chapter 12 of Luke’s Gospel with
an enigmatic, if not paradoxical, statement.
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."
~Lk 1:49-53
What fire is Jesus
talking about? What division will be
brought about? Fr. Geoffrey provides a
great explanation for answers to both questions.
I think the division
Christ will bring is self explanatory. Setting
the world ablaze is more difficult. Here
is that that quote from Malachi 3:1-3
Now I am sending my messenger—he will prepare the way before me; And the lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple; The messenger of the covenant whom you desire—see, he is coming! says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand firm when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like fullers’ lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the Levites, Refining them like gold or silver, that they may bring offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
Purification! Christ is the fulfillment of the purifying messenger God will send.
Cardinal Blasé Cupich
has an interesting pastoral take on this passage, a prophetic gift of the
spirit.
This reminds me of
the Protestant pastor and theologian, Dr. Walter Brueggemann, who wrote a work
I admire that runs along these lines, The
Prophetic Imagination. I had a post on Dr. Brueggemann’s passing. Cardinal Cupich’s point is that when we speak
in our families with prophetic voice on hard issues, the division that comes
with justice is likely.
Sunday Meditation: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I
wish it were already blazing!”
Here is a new song by Ben Walther, “Ablaze,”
inspired by the St. Catherine of Siena quote, “Be who God meant you to be, and
you will set the world on fire.”
Oh I like that. I was thinking of my beloved St. Catherine
when I read Jesus’s statement in today’s Gospel. Now if you want to hear Ben Walther speak
about this song, he was interviewed by a wonderful Catholic song writer
herself, Sarah Hart. Check it out.
Ablaze by Ben Walther
“By his grace we are conceived to be mercy, to be peace, to be light
amidst the darkness. In his image we are made, to be brilliant, to be great, to
present the world his likeness,
Let’s set the world on fire, let’s raise his banner higher. Let’s set a
broken world ablaze. Oh. Let’s hear a generation proclaiming his salvation with
every breath and endless praise; and set the world ablaze.
All aflame but not consumed, we are burning with the truth, for his
presence makes us holy, fanning flickering to flame till his love is what
remains; for to him belongs all glory.
Let’s set the world on fire, let’s raise his banner higher. Let’s set a
broken world ablaze. Oh. Let’s hear a generation proclaiming his salvation with
every breath and endless praise; and set the world ablaze.
Set the world ablaze.”
Anyone that honors St. Catherine of Siena, has
a special place in my heart. I will have
to look for more of Ben Walther’s music.
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