Among the important discoveries of humankind, one which changed many things in our lives is the discovery of fire. By learning how to make fire and use it to our advantage, people gradually abandoned their nomadic life and settle down as farmers, heralding the beginning of villages, town and cities. Fire can be useful or destructive. It can be used to cook our meals or to burn down a house. It can be used to run equipment for industrial use, or to produce weapons of war.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes use of fire to tell us why He had come: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!… Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Some of us may find such a statement by Jesus difficult to understand and accept. After all, He is called Prince of Peace by the prophet Isaiah. Now He is saying that He would set the earth on fire and bring about division. How do we make sense of such a statement then? We need to remember that Jesus, and us too, are not only priest and king, but also a prophet. In the Old Testament, the false prophet is one who tries to please the audience, especially the rulers. Such false prophets have got a personal agenda, such as personal gratification, fame, popularity, wealth or recognition. On the other hand, the true prophet proclaims God’s Word, to his contemporaries, regardless of the consequences. The true prophet strives to speak the truth, and his words and warnings are meant to make us look into ourselves and discover that we may be our first and worst enemy, since quite often, it is our evil desires and deeds that may have kept us from living according to God’s Word and walk in His ways. It is in this context that Jesus’ coming and teachings would set the earth on fire and bring about division.
So what does this mean to us? What it means is that Jesus is now asking us make our choice: For or against Him; to say ‘Yes’ to God or to say ‘No.’ There is no in-between, no ifs, maybes or buts. Our choice will have eternal repercussions: Live according to His Word and we would have eternal life; or go against His Word and we will face the consequences, including eternal damnation. But we do not need to go through this alone, since Jesus is there to guide us and help us. In the second reading, St. Paul gives us these words of encouragement: “Let us persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus… For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.” With these words, St. Paul is asking us to make Jesus our model as we run the race of life. Jesus endured the cross and its shame in view of the “joy that lay before him,” and we too should do the same. Jesus received triumphant glory by His obedience to His Father’s will, and we would too, if we live by God’s Word.
Let us therefore make our choice for Jesus and reaffirm it daily in thought, word and deed. Let us throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings so easily, and keep running steadily in the race we have started. Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection, so that we would be with Him for all eternity.