In the Gospel of this Sunday, Jesus invites us to reflect on what brings fire to our faith. In other words, he uses the word fire to signify our burning desire to change and to be changed during our walk of faith.
The fire of God’s love is transformative. God’s deepest love for us is expressed in Jesus’ resurrection. It is the Holy Spirit who will guide us and give us the courage to live in God’s love. In our relationship with family members and friends, we are strengthened on our faith journey.
Jesus reminds us that the journey of faith is not easy. He tells us that divisions will occur amid our sharing and acting on the Word of God. Our prayer must focus on God’s love that moves us to action. We must bring God’s gift of love to the world. God is love.
Overcoming any division, God’s word change our hearts to see others and ourselves with the eyes of God. This is at the heart of relationships. We must see things through the eyes of God. Prayer is about our relationship with God, self, and others. Prayer changes things and it does make a difference. Pope Francis tells us in his 2019 Angelus, “Adoring God and serving others—the Gospel truly manifests itself as a fire that saves, that changes the world beginning with a change in the heart of each one.”