杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the day鈥檚 Gospel (Lk 12:49-33), in which Jesus tells his disciples that the time has come to make a decisive choice in favor of the Gospel.

This choice, said the 杏MAP导航, cannot be postponed, as Jesus鈥� image of the fire shows.

鈥淚 have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!鈥� Jesus tells his disciples.

鈥淭hese words are intended to help the disciples abandon every attitude of laziness, apathy, indifference, and closure so as to welcome the fire of God's love,鈥� the Holy Father said.

That fire kindles life and saves humanity. By spreading God鈥檚 limitless love throughout the world, he said, we are recognized as Jesus鈥� true disciples.

Fire overcomes divisions

杏MAP导航 Francis said the Christian witness to the Gospel is like a beneficial fire, 鈥渙vercoming every division among individuals, social categories, peoples, and nations.鈥�

鈥淚t burns all forms of particularism and keeps charity open to all,鈥� he said, adding that it has 鈥渁 single preference: that for the poorest and the excluded.鈥�

The fire of God鈥檚 love 鈥渆nvelops our entire existence and requires a willingness to serve our neighbor.鈥�

Fire burns away selfishness

The Holy Father recalled the many young people who volunteer their free time to serve the sick, the poor, and people with disabilities.

He said living according to the Gospel requires Christians to meet ever-changing needs with new charitable initiatives.

鈥淭hus, the Gospel truly manifests itself as the fire that saves,鈥� he said, adding that it 鈥渃hanges the world starting from the change that takes place in each person鈥檚 heart.鈥�

Fire breaks illusions

杏MAP导航 Francis said this saving fire is the key to understanding Jesus鈥� difficult statement that he has come to establish division and not peace on earth.

鈥淗e came to 鈥榮eparate with fire鈥� good from evil, the just from the unjust,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n this sense he came to 鈥榙ivide鈥�, to stir up 鈥榗risis鈥� - but in a healthy way 鈥� in the lives of his disciples鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 said this purifying crisis breaks the facile illusion that we can combine the Christian life with all types of compromises, religious practices, and hateful attitudes.

Fire of God鈥檚 love purifies our love

鈥淚t is a question of not living hypocritically,鈥� he noted, 鈥渂ut of being willing to pay the price of choices consistent with the Gospel.鈥�

Though we call ourselves Christians, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, we must 鈥渂e Christians in concrete situations, witnessing to the Gospel, which is essentially love for God and for our brothers and sisters.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his Angelus address with a prayer to Mary, asking that we 鈥渁llow ourselves to be purified of the fire brought by Jesus, in order to spread it through our lives and through decisive, courageous choices.鈥�