“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
With this fire Jesus did not intend to be "[c]onsumer of good men, but the Author of good will, who purifies the golden vessels of the Lord's house, but burns up the straw and the stubble" according to Saint Ambrose. Or as Chrysostom explained it, "the Lord pours out fire for the consuming of sins, and the renewing of souls."
Jesus came to bring the fire of the Holy Spirit. But he made it clear that this was not just the warm and fuzzy fire that one can keep tamed within a fireplace. This fire was one that had an element of danger to it.
each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (see First Corinthians 3:15).
We read in Hebrews that our God himself is a consuming fire (see Hebrews 12:29). This we have known since he revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush. He revealed it again when the fire fell on the altar to consume the sacrifice of Elijah. This same reality, this dangerous and powerful reality, is present in the lives of Christians as well.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands (see Second Timothy 1:6).
Because the Spirit is dangerous we have to be reminded not to "quench" or to "extinguish" him (see First Thessalonians 5:19). We tend to like the motivation, purpose, and power that the Spirit gives to us. But we don't like it as much when he leads us in directions we would not go. He can create divisions within our own hearts as he leads us away from sin and toward holiness. This is the same sort of division Jesus spoke of when called us branches that would be pruned (see John 15:2). Following Jesus creates division between us and others, as a matter of course, when others take a stand for personal autonomy against the claim of God on their lives. This is not something that we as believers have to work to achieve. Simply by being Christian others will take their stand against those beliefs of ours which they find unfair or restrictive or hateful.
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
Jesus came to make all things one in himself. But the only way to create a union that was meaningful and lasting was to base that union on truth. It was a truth that could only be revealed by letting the fire of the holiness of his Spirit burn in his people and reveal itself in the world. When we encounter the destructive aspect of this fire we need to remember to not be afraid. It is not meant to destroy us or the world but rather to purify us for holiness, to remove from us what is not love.
When we learn to agree with and welcome God's plan for us, to fan into flame the gift of the Spirit rather than quench it, we are "strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self" and Christ himself dwells in our hearts through faith. The world may consider God's absolute claim on us to be unfair or hateful but we will actually be more and more "rooted and grounded in love". We will have strength to "know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge", but only if we have the courage to play with fire.
May we have the courage to welcome the fire of God, because he is the one who is able to do in us what we could not do on our own, what we could not even think to ask.
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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