Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 476
Reading 1
Ephesians 3:14-21
Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Alleluia
Philippians 3:8-9
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish
that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
A Blazing Fire of Mercy
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” Luke 12:49–50
There is much that we can take from these teachings of our Lord. Not only did Jesus say, “I have come to set the earth on fire…” He also said that it’s His desire that this fire be “blazing!”
Fire is powerful. A blazing fire, for example, can purify the precious metal gold. When heated to a liquid state, the impurities rise to the surface for easy removal. Fire can also consume. When a blazing fire completes its burning, what’s left are only ashes. Many great saints have reflected upon the image of fire as an image of the purification God wants to do within our souls. Saint John of the Cross, for example, reflected in depth upon this image. He explained that entering into divine union was similar to a log burning. At first, as the log begins to burn, it crackles and pops. This is because the impurities within the wood, such as moisture or sap, do not burn as the wood burns. But as a log continues to burn, as Saint John explains, eventually the log becomes one with the fire. At first, you can distinguish the log from the fire when only part of the log is burning. But once the entire log is engulfed in the flames and all the impurities are burnt out, you have a piece of wood that is one with the fire. It glows and emits light and heat.
When we ponder these words from Jesus regarding His desire to “set the earth on fire,” we must first see this as His desire to purify our souls. Within our souls, there are many impurities that need to be removed if we are to become one with God, emitting His radiance and glory. This purification involves a process of allowing God to bring our sins to the surface so that they are seen and can be removed. But this is only possible if we allow the blazing fire of God’s purifying love to consume us.
Oftentimes in life, we are content with simply being mediocre in our faith journey. We pray, go to Mass on Sunday, and try to be good. But this is not the life our Lord wants for us. He wants a life that is radically consumed with the blazing fire of His love. He wants us to become so purified from our sin that He is able to become one with us, sending forth the radiance of His glory through our lives.
Reflect, today, upon this image of a blazing and purifying fire. Use the image of gold melting to the point that all impurities rise to the surface. Or use the image that Saint John of the Cross uses with the log. God wants so much more from you. He wants to transform you and use you in ways beyond your imagination. Do not be afraid to make the radical decision to allow the blazing and purifying fire of our Lord’s mercy to transform you. And don’t wait for this to start tomorrow—kindle that flame today.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
THE POWER UNKNOWN
“May He strengthen you inwardly through the working of His Spirit.” —Ephesians 3:16
When the Holy Spirit came to us in Baptism, Confirmation, and other occasions, we received power (Acts 1:8). In fact, we were clothed from head to toe with power from on high (Lk 24:49). We can move mountains with only a tiny use of our power (Mt 17:20). Nothing is impossible for us in the power of Jesus (Mt 17:20).
A problem for Christians is not that we need more power but that we need to open the eyes of our hearts to know “the immeasurable scope of His power in us who believe” (Eph 1:19) and use it.
The Holy Spirit, Who has given us a share in His power, will also open our eyes to this power. Therefore, renew your Baptism and Confirmation. Repent of quenching the Holy Spirit (1 Thes 5:19). Stir into flame the gift of the Holy Spirit (2 Tm 1:6-7). Praise “to Him Whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20). Come, Holy Spirit!
Prayer: Father, may I use the power You have given me to save lives, evangelize, restore families, and build a new civilization of love and life.
Promise: “Thus you will be able to grasp fully, with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love.” —Eph 3:18
Praise: St. Anthony Claret wrote: “The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Reflection 3
By Fr. Martin Hogan
The opening lines of the gospel reading capture something of the impatience of Jesus. ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!’ Jesus came to bring the fire of God’s love, a fire that conveys God’s warmth, but also burns away whatever is not of God. Jesus suffered because that fire of God’s love was burning so powerfully within him. It was because he was on fire with God’s love that he was crucified by those who found that fire too dangerous and challenging. Jesus refers to the suffering that awaits him using the image of a baptism he has still to receive, a baptism of fire, a baptism of suffering. That fire burning within him gave rise to divisions, even within families, as some people were drawn to it and others were repelled by it. There is a lovely prayer within our Catholic tradition which goes, ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill my heart and kindle in me the fire of your love’. Jesus wants the fire of God’s love that he brought to the earth to burn within each of us. If that fire does burn within us, it will sometimes bring us suffering, just as it brought suffering to Jesus.
Prayers
My purifying Lord, You deeply desire to set my heart and soul on fire with the transforming mercy of Your love. Please give me the grace I need to permit You to kindle this fire of love in my heart so that it will truly become blazing and all-consuming. May this blaze ignite me in the inner depths of my heart so that You will shine brightly in my life, bringing forth the warmth of Your love into our world. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, may the fire of your love consume me and transform my life that I may truly desire nothing more than life with you. Fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may always seek to please you and do your will.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 297: Lessons from Nature
All of creation is capable of reflecting the glory and workings of God. God is the wisdom behind the Universe, setting all its laws in order and guiding all things perfectly. We only need to spend time meditating upon the laws of nature to perceive the laws of grace which they reflect. For example, take the morning dew. It arrives silently and without notice of its coming. It sinks in and soaks the earth leaving all things covered by its presence. So it is with the countless graces of God’s Mercy. It’s as if every grace God gives us is like one drop of the morning dew. He bestows it in abundance, and we often do not see it coming. It is given to soak in and to nourish our souls. Let the message of the morning dew speak to you this day and allow it to reveal the outpouring of the Mercy of God (See Diary #1449).
Do you ever spend time reflecting upon creation? There are so many lessons to learn about God through that which He created. Ponder the morning dew this day. Spend time on it and seek the countless messages that God can reveal through it. Consider, also, the many other messages that reveal the wisdom and Mercy of God within creation. We can grow in our faith and knowledge of God by pondering the birds, the grass, the fish, or any other creature God made. Reflect upon creation this day and you will find that you are reflecting upon the Mercy of God.
Lord, I thank You for the gift of creation and the countless ways that You speak through that which You created. May my life be like the soil that soaks in the morning dew each day, being covered with Your grace. I love You, dear Lord. Help me to be more open to Your love each new day, and to see Your hand at work in all things You have Made. Jesus, I trust in You.
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