Jijo Kandamkulathy, CMF
Claretian Publications, Macau
20TH SUNDAY – C
Lk 12:13-21
Jesus speaks through difficult metaphors sometimes. The metaphor of fire is the difficult one we encounter today. Fire has been used as a sign of destruction in the story of Lot. The Book of Revelation has at least half a dozen connotations for fire. The most significant biblical meaning of fire is a purifying agent, like gold is purified in fire. Prophet Isaiah refers to an angel bringing fire from the heavens and touching his tongue with it to cleanse away his sins. Then, he is ready to be sent on God’s mission. That is the cleansing fire. Fire is also the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Remember the Pentecost experience. In recent literature, fire symbolizes passion or deep desire.
Identifying what Jesus intended by fire is crucial in finding the meaning of this text. There are some Christian sects that make a very literal interpretation of this passage and depict the Last Judgment scene with a lot of cauldrons of fire to which the sinful are consigned. The literal interpretation simply fails to explain the loving and caring Father about whom Jesus came to teach us. This interpretation fails to show why Jesus would say that he had come to bring fire on the earth when he lived without physically burning even a dry leaf. Remember, there was a reminder from the disciples to call down fire on the people. Jesus rebuked them for suggesting such foolishness. So a literal interpretation is an immature understanding of the Scripture.
What does fire stand for then? Fire as a purifying agent is how we can best understand this metaphor. The toughest impurities in gold are removed by melting it in fire. The same applies to our own impurities, deeply embedded in our nature, which need to be purified. The fire that helps us discern right from wrong is the Holy Spirit. We can recall the image of the tongues of fire associated with the Holy Spirit at the time of Pentecost.
Changing self-seeking behaviors is the greatest trial we have to undergo. As soon as we receive the Spirit, this trial begins. When Jesus was baptized and filled with the Spirit, he went to the desert where he was tested. Tested against every sort of self-seeking desire. He came out not succumbing to such temptations. The Holy Spirit is the fire that tests us and purifies us. Matthew and Luke associate baptism with fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). The fire that does not consume the goodness in us is the Holy Spirit.
I am sure, you are by now reminded of the burning bush experience of Moses. The fire that he saw in the bush without consuming it had begun to burn in himself as well with that experience. He began to work for the good of others. Moses, who had run away from the Egyptians for fear, became courageous after the burning bush experience. This fire cleanses us from self-seeking desires. Once the need for self-gratification is conquered, the new fire that impels us to work for God takes effect. Moses found the courage to work for the Israelites from that experience.
The disciples, after the experience of the tongues of fire, also suddenly get the courage to speak to the people who singled them out to be arrested. The fire stands as the symbol of the Spirit that purifies our self-seeking desires, which are at the root of most of our fears and anxieties.
When the symbol of fire comes together with the discussion on peace, understanding the text becomes more difficult, especially when Jesus, the Prince of Peace, announces that he has come to sow not peace but discord. Well, the early Christian community faced the problem of having some members of the same family as part of the Church and the others sticking to the Jewish or other traditions. This naturally disturbed the peace in families. It is in this context that these words are narrated to the community as a catechetical example. It is good to reflect over what greenery is present in me which the Holy Spirit burns, purifies and brings to the forefront. The Spirit works on our nature, and there is no one who is without some greenery of goodness. The Spirit fosters that goodness. Identifying the goodness is as good as identifying what drains my energy for unproductive growth. These unproductive branches must be burned away. The Spirit will help us do that. But we need to be willing to let go of the affinities to things, ideas and tendencies that do not build humanity and leave us hollow and empty. That willingness happens by choice. The Holy Spirit can cast the burning shadow on us only if we are malleable.
(Image: nickelbabe@pixabay.com)
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