Sunday 17 August 2025 –XX Sunday –Ordinary
Time – (C)
Fire, Baptism and Division
Mass Readings: Jer 38:4-6.8-10 Ps 40
Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53
Key Verse to be Meditate: "I came to cast fire upon
the earth, and how I wish it were kindled already (Lk 12:49).
The
twentieth Sunday in Ordinary time puts before us three things which are very
unusual by Christ: Fire, Baptism and division. "I came to cast fire upon
the earth” says Jesus. The
readings of today urge us to embrace a faith that disturbs and transforms.
In today’s first reading, we hear how Jeremiah’s fearless witness—though opposed and perilous—revealed the unquenchable fire of God’s Word within him. This very fire, both challenging and life-giving, is what Christ comes to ignite on earth.”
The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that the Christian journey is a lifelong race — a daily fight against sin and discouragement. We are not asked to simply follow rules, but to strive for spiritual maturity, looking always to Jesus, who endured suffering and remained faithful. Sin is like a weight we must cast off, lest it drag us down.
The Gospel intensifies this challenge as Jesus
speaks of casting fire on the earth — a fire that purifies our hearts and
ignites our zeal for God.
The First Reading
Today’s first reading reminds us that living
according to God’s Word can often place us in conflict with worldly values. The
prophet Jeremiah courageously speaks truth to power during a time of crisis. In
587 BC, Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchadnezzar. Despite the people's
suffering, the army generals, driven by pride and false hope, refused to
surrender. Jeremiah, guided by divine wisdom, urged King Zedekiah to surrender
to save the people. This prophetic voice, however, was inconvenient and threatening
to the authorities, who responded by casting him into a dry well to silence
him. But God, through an Ethiopian official named Ebed-Melech, saved Jeremiah,
showing that divine truth cannot be suppressed for long. Jeremiah’s fire of
truth could not be extinguished: “There seemed to be a fire burning in my
heart, imprisoned in my bones. I could not hold it in” (Jer 20:9). This fire is
the same that Jesus speaks of in the Gospel — the fire that purifies,
challenges, and transforms.
The Second Reading
The second reading calls us to persevere in the
fight against sin and discouragement. The author of Hebrews urges us to “keep
running steadily in the race” of faith and not to lose sight of Jesus, who
perfects our faith. This journey is not simply about fulfilling religious
duties but striving toward Christian perfection. Sin is described as a weight —
a burden that clings to us, impeding our progress (Heb 12:1). We are encouraged
to throw it off, just as a soaked dog shakes off water. The Christian life is a
daily struggle, a continual effort to overcome sin. The reading even challenges
us to resist sin to the point of shedding blood (Heb 12:4) - reminding us that
our spiritual battles require total commitment, just as Christ endured
suffering for the joy set before Him. His obedience unto death becomes the
model for our endurance in faith.
The Gospel Reading
The Peace that Christ Brought
Today’s Gospel places before us three striking
and unusual images: fire, baptism, and division.
Jesus says, “I came to cast fire upon the
earth.” We are not accustomed to hearing such words from the lips of
Christ. Throughout the Gospels, from beginning to end, His message consistently
invites us to peace and love.
When Jesus was born
in Bethlehem, the angels proclaimed, “Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!”
(Lk 2:14). One of His earliest teachings was about peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of
God.” (Mt 5:9).
Peace was also the
first word the disciples heard from the Risen Lord on Easter evening. Behind
locked doors, fearful of the Jews, they saw Jesus stand among them and say, “Peace be with you.” (Jn 20:19).
Jesus never
endorsed violence, even when it was considered a legitimate act of self-defence.
To Peter, who tried to protect Him in Gethsemane, He said: “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword
will perish by the sword” (Mt 26:52).
The
Peace that Jesus Did Not Bring
How, then, do we reconcile this Gospel, where
Jesus declares He came to cast fire upon the earth and bring division? We must
understand that the peace Christ brings is radically different from the world’s
idea of peace.
The key lies in
understanding that the peace Jesus offers is not the passive peace of
indifference or comfort. True peace often requires confrontation with
injustice, sin, and complacency. Jesus confronts and exposes false
notions of peace.
The Gospels present us with vivid examples of this deceptive kind of peace:
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19–21), the rich man
remains indifferent to Lazarus at his gate, unwilling to disturb his comfort.
·
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk
10:25–37), the priest and the Levite pass by the wounded man, preferring to
preserve their “peaceful” routine rather than engage with suffering.
·
Pontius Pilate, wishing to preserve political
peace and avoid unrest among the Jewish leaders, washed his hands and condemned
an innocent man to death: “I am innocent of
this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” (Mt 27:24).
This is not the
peace Jesus came to bring. The fire Jesus casts is the fire of truth,
purification, and transformation. It may cause division, even within families,
but it is necessary for genuine discipleship. Christ calls us to a peace rooted
in justice, mercy, and radical love—not one maintained by avoiding discomfort
or difficult truths.
Jesus did not come to eliminate our sufferings,
but to guide them toward justice and salvation. He came not to extinguish pain,
but to set a fire—not one that destroys, but one that warms our cold hearts and
purifies our inner lives. As He declared, “I came to cast fire
upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Lk
12:49). This fire challenges the false peace of indifference that often
paralyzes us. Like the prophet Jeremiah, who boldly spoke out against injustice
despite opposition, we too are called to reject comfort and complacency for the
sake of truth and righteousness.
Points
for Personal Reflection
The readings today urge us to embrace a faith that disturbs and transforms.
Jeremiah was a prophet who dared to speak God’s truth during a national crisis, even when it meant risking his life. His call to surrender in order to save lives was rejected by the powerful, who saw his message as a threat. Yet Jeremiah could not keep silent. The fire of God’s Word burned within him. This prophetic fire — unsettling yet life-giving — is the same fire Jesus brings to the earth.
It is not a destructive fire, but one that purifies, awakens, and calls for justice. We, like Jeremiah, are called to be bold in our witness, even when it disturbs the false peace of the world. God still speaks through those who courageously denounce injustice and strive to bring peace founded on truth.
To Be with Christ is to Draw Near to the Fire
In today’s Gospel, Jesus boldly proclaims, “I
came to cast fire upon the earth.” This fire is not one that destroys but one
that ignites hearts with love, purifies intentions, and awakens consciences. It
is the fire of divine love, zeal for truth, and the courage to challenge
complacency. Christianity is not a religion of comfort but of transformation —
of being set ablaze by the Word of God. As reflected in the non-canonical
Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says, “Being with me is being close to the fire.” If we
are not disturbed or challenged by Christ, our faith risks becoming passive and
shallow. Jesus disturbed the peace of His time — not to sow chaos, but to
shatter indifference and awaken people to the demands of justice and love.
The peace that Christ offers is not passive or
detached; it is active and transformative. It demands that we fight against
egoism and selfishness, which lie at the root of much of the world’s false
peace. True peace is born when love triumphs over self-centeredness.
As Christians, we must be informed and engaged
with what is happening around us—ready to confront injustice, resist sin, and
awaken from spiritual lethargy. Let us ask the Lord to disturb our false peace,
to stir our hearts, and to help us spread the fire of His justice, mercy, and
love in the world.
