Reflections of Caritas

GOSPEL: LUKE 12:49-53

FIRE UPON THE EARTH

Dear Friends,

On this twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Church encourages us to fight against evil by following the footsteps of Christ who came to bring “fire” upon the earth in order to purify, transform, and save us from the perils that afflict us.

Jesus in today’s gospel wishes to set the earth on fire. He speaks against peace. What sense can we make when Jesus says his coming is to establish division and he desires to set our world ablaze?

The fire he wishes to bring is that which is very positive and objective. It is for our own purification and good. It is meant to consume the debris and fabrics of inordinate attachments, immorality, injustice and corruption in our lives, communities and world at large. When we follow Jesus getting to peace is not always peaceful. True peace is more than the absence of hostility. It is a life that is built on love (CARITAS), goodness and justice. As long as we live in a world where injustice and evil are present, opposing that evil and injustice is necessary. And opposing evil is hardly peaceful. Jesus does indeed call us to Love and peace, but getting to peace is often disturbing and painful.

As we try to make sense of Jesus’ words in the gospel, an important distinction should be held in mind: the difference between keeping the peace and serving the peace. If we make keeping the peace our highest priority, we will never allow ourselves to upset or disturb anyone. Such an approach runs the risk of covering over the injustice and evil that are present among us.

We are not called to keep the peace. We are called to serve the peace. We are called to serve the peace by being Charitable in our family, in our workplace, or in our church. To come to true and lasting peace, we must be willing to suffer for the sake of others. Jesus must be our leader and our model: willing to love and give His life up so that others might have life.

Are you serving the peace or are you keeping the peace? If we end up covering over evil in an effort to keep the peace, we will in time be living a lie. And that lie will in the end destroy us. But if we can, with prudence and strength, oppose the evil that surrounds us, we will be serving the peace. Hence, let us emulate Christ: “Let it burn!”

God Bless,

Rev. Father Frank Kyazze