Fire, Division, Peace

Jesus declared that he had some to set the world on fire and was eager to see it blazing. (Cf. Lk 12: 49). His message of love and forgiveness, he knew, could burn through the selfishness and lies that have plagued the human race since the Fall...itself a victim of self-centeredness and deceit, but he also knew that his message would not be well received, that it would cause division and even violence between those who accepted it and those who rejected it. And so it has been from the martyrdom of Stephen to the current martyrs around the world; from families divided to a Church divided. Yet, the "carrot" of peace lures us forward and encourages us to seek to love and forgive. What can we do in our circles today, our families, our parishes, our schools, our workplaces? How can we stir enthusiasm for Truth, for Love, for Forgiveness? How can we live in such a way that others see these virtues in action? Jesus, set my heart ablaze and let the fire from me help bring about the peace that is so absent in our divided world.
Bro. Rene