English Homily

In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus is shocking: He says that he has come not to bring peace, but division. He has come to bring fire on earth and He wishes that it were already blazing.

I understood the nature of this fire that Jesus had brought on earth while I was blessing the “Easter fire” in Africa.

I had asked each parishioner to bring a stick of dry wood so that we had a huge pile of wood in front of us. It was night and it was cold. The warmth of the fire was pleasant and relaxing.
 
I could distinguish the features of my friends.

That fire kept away mosquitoes and wild animals. At the light of that fire we could read the liturgical texts and we could sing. When the vigil was over it was late at night and I could see like an ocean of light parting in different directions.

It was made by the candles that parishioners were holding to lighten their way back home. And I prayed with all my heart that that light, that fire were burning not only in the hands, but, most so, in the hearts of the people.

The fire for which Jesus was praying is the fire of the Holy Spirit which came on the apostles the day of Pentecost. It is the fire that the disciples of Emmaus felt was burning in their hearts when Jesus was talking to them:” Were our hearts not burning in us when He was explaining the scriptures?”

In the Apocalypse we read:”Since you are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm I’ll spit you from my mouth”

I’d like to pray today for myself and for the entire parish for this fire of the Holy Spirit.