The Purifying Fire

HOMILY | Romans 6:19-23 | Luke 12:49-53

Human beings like highlighting differences rather than similarities. We like categorising the things we stand for, and we like to take sides, opposite to each other. The Gospel today presents the unfortunate and tense consequence of the coming of Jesus caused by the:

• urgency of his coming,

• our inability to understand and accept,

• and the innate demands of the event.

The fire could be interpreted in many things.

It could be destructive and punitive. How many times did the Bible quote fire as the symbol of God’s wrath.

Fire could be creative and restorative. Fire is the symbol of the Holy Spirit.

But common to the two is fire’s association with purification.

The coming of Jesus have caused much trouble not only to the Jews but to our times as well. We continue to experience today the bad effects of unwillingness of the people to accept the Kingdom of God. First is the rift with the Pharisees and the whole Judaism. Second would be the emergence of Islam who would basically claim roots to Abraham. In Christianity alone, there have been multiple breakage from the Catholic Church. Over the years we have seen increasing hostilities grow among these higher religions and within Christianity itself.

In fact, effects of centuries old rifts continue to haunt us today. The Wars in the middle east. The on-going refugee crisis in Syria and all around the world. The Extremist groups casting terrorism around the world especially to Christian Democratic countries. Ironically, the conflicts since the coming of Christ until today is fundamentally driven by religious differences instead of similarities.

There are conflicts because there are differences in faith, and in values. And for the most part, there are conflicts because the values of the Kingdom is at odds with the values of the world. But the values of the Kingdom is unitive and formidable in building a just society, of a Christian community no less. The values of love, sharing, forgiveness, generosity and selflessness are all what it takes to live in a community of disciples.

There are more than enough conflicts in the world. May our community be an opposite to it. May our community be a community which seeks that which unites, settle differences, and celebrate similarities. May our community be a model of the values of the Kingdom, a model of sharing, forgiveness and one which celebrates similarities. May we highlight the fire that creates, restores and unites.

May our hearts always be burning with fervour for our mission.