Today, Tony Worner, our Leader of Formation, reads from Luke’s Gospel (12: 49-53) in which Jesus says, ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already’.

With all the divisiveness present in society these days, Tony says, it seems like the last thing we need is a Gospel text that seemingly encourages more division but Jesus, through the image of fire being brought down to earth and creating division, is making sure we know that being a follower of Jesus is no easy task.  While Jesus’s ministry on earth brought new life, he made it very clear that there would be a tough side to what this new life meant.

Tony asks, ‘What discord, what division, has come into your life as a result of following in Christ’s footsteps of being a missionary disciple?  What are you passionate about – the environment? Politics? Your football team?’ Jesus was passionate about his mission.  He knew it would mean his death, but this seems to have made him show an even greater sense of urgency. The question for us ‘Am I simply a lukewarm follower of Jesus or do I somehow share his passion in spreading the kingdom according to my possibilities?’

With this in mind, Tony invites us to pray: ‘Lord, you disturb me, shake me out of complacency and make my heart burn within me. Give me the courage to continue on my journey of discipleship. Amen.’