Twenty-Ninth Thursday of Ordinary Time

“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.

It can be tempting to never rock the boat and never challenge ourselves and others to be better than what they are. We can be tempted to avoid conflict with others and seek to appease them in spite of what our hearts, minds, and morals might say. We are tempted to cover our ears against evil words, but do not rebuke the person using them. We are tempted to turn our eyes away from evil instead of doing something about it. We are tempted to remain silent when we know the truth instead of speaking out against it. We keep the Holy Spirit's Fire at arm's length because if we let it into our hearts we know that it will set our lives ablaze. However, who benefits from our indifference, inaction, and fears? Not those whom God is calling us to confront, for without someone to give voice to the truth, how can they have a chance to know it? Not the people who are affected by our inaction. And certainly not us, because we prove time and time again that we are disciples in hiding, just like those who abandoned Jesus during his Passion, Crucifixion, and Death. But if we do open ourselves to the fires of the Holy Spirit, our hearts shall be enkindled and we shall blaze like the Son of Man. Then, and only then, can we fulfill God's Will and become signs of contradiction to the world.

Are we indifferent, inactive, or afraid of what it means to be signs of contradiction? Are we willing to let the Holy Spirit enkindle our hearts with the fires of faith, hope, and love? Who are the people in our lives who need to be contradicted, not out of a sense of superiority, but out of a sense of true compassion?

O Lord, set our hearts ablaze.

Amen.