20th Sunday - C

Commentary

Luke 12: 49 – 53

Set the Earth on Fire

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.” 

Jesus brings God’s love to us.  The flame of God’s love sets the world on fire.

And we are privileged to share in this mission of Jesus – to set the world on fire with the love of God.

May we have the same desire that Jesus has – “I wish it were already blazing.”

Pope Paul VI understood this mission that Jesus has given to the Church when he wrote “The Church exists in order to evangelize.”  (Evangelii Nuntiandi, #14)

And what is true about the Church as the One Body of Christ is true about each of its members. 

In that sense, if we have encountered Jesus, then, we now “exist in order to evangelize” until the whole world is blazing.