Thursday of 29th week even numbered year
“Jesus said ’There is a baptism I must still receive, and how I wish it were accomplished! Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? I tell you, no, rather divison. For from now on, a household of five will be divided ; three against two and two against three : father opppsed to son, son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-inlaw, daufgter-in-law tp mother-in-law.”
Jesus, the One who proclaimed ’Blessed are the peacemakers’ speaks to us today of the fidelity to the Gospel that will lead to his disciple being misunderstood and rejected by those who are dearest to them.
Jesus’ Word, at work in our hearts, will lead us to humbly make choices that go against certain ways of thinking. Mary had heard her Son would be ’ a stumbling block, a contradiction’!
Baptised people should take up their courage faced with Jesus’ commitment going to the Cross for the Salvation of mankind, they should bear witness to Jesus in their family life.
It is asked of us to bring the Peace of Jesus to divided families and also to our communities going through ordeals.
In fact men cannot bear the fact that God intervenes in ’things’ of the world, for they are taken up by the world, contributing to the great violence there.
Now, God’s Love comes first, Love alone unifies our life since the Father has gazed tenderly upon us. We know how much the fire of hatred ravages people’s hearts. This is translated by the rejection of the poor and little ones. The power of the powerful ones brings about injustice wherever it dominates.
“There is a baptism I still must receive, and how I wish it be completed!”
It was a familiar idea for Jesus : his baptism in death for the Salvation of the world. When James and John will claim their two places of honour in his
Kingdom, Jesus will ask them ’Can you drink the cup I will drink or be baptised with the baptism I am going to be baptised by?’
Jesus is aware that in order to enlighten the fire of the Holy Spirit on earth, He must pass through the baptism of suffering. His friends will share it by being martyred. If we don’t give our blood for Jesus, all of it, then we must compromise for him amongst people who are close to us.
Jesus’ Word wakes us up. We contemplate Him immersed in the world’s sufferings. Through his Passion, Jesus has light and love to triumph. Darkness and hatred are overcome! Jesus realises this transformation so that in following Him we may live the same combat for more love, more truth and more justice.
“I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already accomplished!”
Jesus passes from fire to the image of water. The plunge Jesus envisages is an immersion in suffering. He senses that the Passion that will submerge Him is drawing near. He, the Righteous One, will be swallowed up so that the whole of humanity be purified. Jesus can’t wait for this baptism to be accomplished because plunging into Passion will allow him to accomplish the Father’s Works. His death will bring life to all mankind. He the Son of God, will pass to the Father’s Glory because of his death. The fire of Jesus’ Love in the world is the fire of the Holy Spirit which gains one neighbour then another, purifying everything, embracing everything, enlightening the whole of humanity.
It is the Holy Spirit, lighting up the faith in the heart of mankind , thanks to the Word born to the ends of the earth by his witnesses.
Jesus desire comes to awaken us. Jesus would like us to be ardent, fervent nd fiery as embers, he would like us to be active like flames are, ever impatient to communicate to the world.
We shall indeed have a share in ordeals as we follow Jesus. In order to transforms the world with him, Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit who enlightens and guides our heart.
If we remain rooted in faith in Jesus, in his Love, it is possible to follow him and act like Him, we can bring more justice and save this world with Him as we follow Him.