FIRE UPON EARTH; ARE YOU ABLAZE? Speaking of Christ; John the Baptist say: He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt3:11). In today’s gospel reading Jesus, reiterated this; I have come to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were blazing already (Lk12:49). This promise and longing found its visible fulfilment and manifestation at Pentecost: Divided tongues, as of fire appeared among them….all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts2:3-4). When the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles they were purified, transformed and inspired. Filled with a new boldness, the spoke the word of God with passion and zeal born out of a deep personal conviction; miracles became common place; praises resounded from place to place about the marvellous deeds of God. Touched by this fire 3000 were converted and baptised in one day. Radical evangelisation spread like wild fire throughout Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Act1:8). At the turn of the century Paul warned, Do not quench the spirit (1Thess5:19. Is that fire still burning in you? Is this fire still animating our Church? Can we still feel this fire-power in our worship? Is there fire in your life of prayer? The reality in most of Europe is the fire has long since been extinguished. For many individual Christians, perhaps even you here this morning, it has never ever been kindled. For many of us now; Christianity is cold, indifferent, dead, formal, in a perpetual winter and even irrelevant to our everyday lives. Perhaps there is grace even in the force of habit that has kept you coming; today is a great opportunity to be set ablaze in the fire place of the Holy Spirit- this church. Is your Christianity on fire? Is this church still on fire? Can we still feel the fire of the Holy Spirit in our worship? Today Jesus says: …AND HOW I WISH IT WERE BLAZING ALREADY. Jesus is asking us in our day; where are the tongues of fire talking about God and his love? Where are the bold preachers and teachers without compromise witnessing with a fresh dynamism? Where are the young men and women touched by fire with deep fidelity who are ready for a life time service to God and Humanity as Priests, religious and enduring family life? Where are the Catholics burning with passion and zeal who would actively participate and make the liturgy a living worship pick up their hymn book and sing and free us from boring liturgy? To wish for this is to call for a perennial Pentecost, an invitation to a personal Pentecost and plea to rediscover and reclaim the Christian voice and space in our society. Today Christ looks up to you to keep the fire burning through a radical and renewed conversion to the Word and Sacraments. Today Christ calls out to men and women who like Jeremiah would not compromise on faith and morals; no matter the Political incorrectness of their conviction but will take their place and be counted for God and his Church. Today Christ is counting on you to save the Priesthood, save the religious life; save family life and the future of the society and his Church. Disturb us, lord When we are too pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wilder seas (Francis Drake)
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 07:48:55 +0000