Thursday, October 21: The purifying fire

“I came to bring fire to the Earth and how I wish it were already blazing.”

Today’s Gospel often confuses people about the kind of division Jesus speaks about: parents divided against children and children divided against each other. Fire and household are the two images placed before us today. Fire is an image of judgement; and household, an image of the Church or the family of God.

We have entered a synodal process, a synod of the people. Jesus, coming to us through this process would work through our intellect, gifts, talents and passions to SEE and JUDGE the issues that affect us as the people of God.

That is the FIRE in the synodal process. The division would come about in the actions that follow because it would purify our motive as Church. People with selfish motives would be separated from those who are committed to being companions on the journey.

Lord Jesus, help us to enter this synod process with an open heart so that together we would journey towards you, our eternal life. AMEN