Jesus’ words are strong: he has come to bring fire and division. This is not violence but a truth that warms and demands a choice. His fire burns away what weighs us down and lights the courage to live the Gospel honestly.
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Christ, you carry a spark in your hands
and long to see the whole earth aglow.
Touch what is damp and dark in me
and let it catch.
You speak of a baptism ahead of you
and admit you are distressed until it is done.
You know fear from the inside.
Stay close when I am afraid.
You did not bring an easy calm
but the peace that is born of truth.
Give me courage to choose you
when it costs me something.
Father, heal the families that ache tonight.
Where faith has set us apart at the table,
pour in patience, respect and forgiveness.
Let no division cut us from your love.
Holy Spirit, fire of love,
come upon your Church.
Make us burn, never lukewarm.
Amen.
In the Gospel of Luke (12:49-53), Jesus says he has come to cast fire upon the earth and wishes it were already kindled. He speaks of a baptism he must undergo and of his distress until it is accomplished. He asks whether his hearers think he has come to bring peace: not an easy peace, but division. Following Christ forces a choice and can even divide households. The fire is the Holy Spirit, who purifies and renews all who let themselves be touched.
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