I Have Come to Set the Earth on Fire.

At first glance, today’s gospel doesn’t sound like Jesus at all. He tells the disciples that He is bringing a lot of division, not peace. Wait...how can that be? Jesus is all about getting along, turning the other cheek and living in harmony. I think we need to take a closer look.

Jesus begins by telling the disciples He has “come to set the earth on fire”. His ideas are going to shake things up and challenge the status quo. Jesus wants to cleanse the world of injustice, hate and other evils. And some people aren't going to like it. There will be opposition and resistance. That may lead to division within families and amongst friends.

So when Jesus says He did not come to “establish peace”, He means that He is not going to snap His fingers and make it happen instantly. Jesus came to ignite the fire of the Spirit within us, His disciples. We are the force that can change and bring peace to the world. By living His message and sharing His good news, we can light His flame within others. We may encounter opposition and resistance, perhaps even from members of our own family. But if we persevere, we can transform the world. It is a life-long process. We must keep His fire burning.