Collect Series
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COLLECT
O God,
who have prepared for those who love you
Good
things which no eye can see,
Fill
our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of Your love,
So
that, loving you in all things and above all things,
We may
attain Your promises,
Which
surpass every human desire.
Though
our Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
Who
lives and reigns with You in unity of the Holy Spirit,
One
God, for ever and ever.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What
are the good things you hope that God has prepared for you?
How is
my relationship with God currently? What areas need to change?
What
does God’s love look and feel like to you?
What areas in our lives can we emulate God’s love?
How
will I love God in all things and above all things this coming week (Name at
least one way I can do this with the grace of God helping me).
What
are the promises of God which surpass every human desire?
Gospel: Luke 12:49–53
Today's Gospel from Luke 12:49-53 is another one of those Gospel's
that should make us sit up and take notice. Why because in a good proportion of
his Gospel, he speaks of peace.
Even
though a stand for the right takes courage, the good news is that Jesus is
always with us. Yes, we may be
ostracised, fearful, lack courage and yet, if we know in our hearts that we
need to stand up for the truth and/or for the right, we need to, for the sake
of our souls, speak up. We cannot allow injustice to have free reign.
In
most occasions, we do not have to speak out on the world stage- if that is our
calling, then Jesus will give us the courage to fulfil our destiny.
However,
battles are lost or won in the day to day-in the family, at work, in the
parish, even doing grocery shopping.
Where ever we are, we need to stand up for what is right and be prepared
to take the consequences in the full knowledge that we know we have Jesus on
our side. We can then know that we are
not alone, that we will have the courage, the words and the disposition to
speak up and out when it is necessary not only when it is convenient or will
not cause us any harm.
A Piercing Gospel
This Sunday's Gospel may feel
confronting. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, speaks of fire, division, and not
peace. It may seem startling. Hower Jesus is not contradicting Himself—He is
revealing the cost of discipleship and the refining nature of the Gospel.
The Fire of the Spirit
When Jesus says, “I have
come to bring fire,” He is speaking of the fire of the Holy Spirit, the
fire of truth, justice, and transforming love. It is not the fire of
destruction, but of purification. Fire in Scripture often represents God’s
presence—a fire that burns away what is false and ignites passion for what is
true and holy.
Jesus desires this fire to be kindled
in every heart, to burn away complacency and lukewarm faith. It is a call to courageous
and authentic living—not a watered-down Gospel of comfort, but one of
conviction.
A Gospel That Divides
Jesus
says that following Him will cause division—even within families. This does not
mean He wants conflict, but that truth provokes a response. When we align our
lives with Christ, there will be times when others reject that choice. Choosing
Jesus means sometimes standing alone, misunderstood, or even opposed—just like
He was.
The
Gospel disrupts false peace, the kind that comes from avoiding conflict,
pleasing everyone, or staying silent in the face of injustice. Jesus brings true
peace—but it is the kind that comes after the struggle of truth-telling,
not instead of it.
Reflect and Respond
- What areas of your life need the purifying
fire of the Gospel?
- Where are you called to stand firm in your
faith, even if it costs you approval or comfort?
- Are you willing to let Jesus ignite a holy
fire within you, even if it means shaking things up?
A Prayer to Kindle the Flame
Lord Jesus, set my heart
ablaze with the fire of your love.
Burn away my fear, my complacency, and my need to please others.
Give me courage to live your Gospel with conviction,
even when it divides or disrupts.
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