20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
Jesus in today’s gospel reading from the gospel of Saint Luke 12:49-53 answers an age-old question on why Christians are not liked or welcomed by the world; why they are rejected, cajoled, persecuted, and even murdered. The world does not welcome us because they don’t want to hear the Word of God or the gospel of Christ. The world rejects, cajoles, persecutes and even kill Christians because they don’t want to accept the truth. This is why Jesus tell us in today’s gospel reading that He has come to set the earth on fire, and how He wished it were already blazing! He even asked them, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. So as disciples of Christ, it is our duty to set the earth on fire with the Word of God and this will bring about division and not peace in our world today and lead to us being cajoled, rejected, persecuted and even killed because of Christ.
So ask yourself today, as a Catholic Christian, am I ready to set the world ablaze with the gospel of Christ? How am I going to set the earth on fire with the Word of God? How will I establish the gospel of Christ today in the world by letting everyone know who He is? We can set the world on fire today with the Word of God; By teaching people about Christ, but prior to that, we have to have a good relationship with Him by accepting His gospel and by being obedient to His words.
We can set the world on fire today with the Word of God; By living out the gospel of Christ like His disciples did.
Of course this sounds very easy to accomplish but we all know it will not be an easy road, so in order to get this work done, we have to prepare ourselves for this task ahead through: Constant Prayer, Patience in our journey to God and in our call to repentance and by Perseverance and consistent hard work.
My brothers and sisters, it is time to set the world ablaze with the gospel of Christ as Jesus urged us in today’s gospel reading. So let us faithfully, fearlessly and courageously go out and proclaim Christ to all in word and deed.
