August 17, 2025 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Welcome Father Eckhard Today’s Readings: Jer 38:4-6, 8-10 | Heb 12:1-4 | Lk 12:49-53

###Disturbing Love and the Warmth of Love

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

Fire is frightening; it can burn up a city. Controlled it is warming: in control in a grate; and it also warms the heart, when we sit back, watch the flames and chat, think or pray. Jesus came to bring fire on the earth. His is the warmth of love and companionship: when we know we can go to him just as we are, and enjoy the intimacy of his friendship - the friend who is always offering the gift of his heart to each of us.

The warmth of Jesus brings comfort and hope to the world when we live in isolation from each other, lack of friendship and hope. When we lack the reconciliation and justice that makes life possible among us, then the warmth of God’s love for all can inflame our coldness.

There is also the fire that disturbs; love challenges as well as comforts. The flame of God can be frightening in that it demands a world of justice, peace and reconciliation. The fire of this love is the fire that also warms and comforts.

The flame of God is the Holy Spirit. Jesus comes to bring all sorts of fire to the world, and to send the Spirit of comfort, justice, reconciliation and hope. The message of Jesus may divide us, and if it does, the love of Jesus can unite us, for love is the most powerful gift of Jesus.

A saying has it — he has come to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.

Holy Spirit, flame of God, hover over each of us as you did for the followers of Jesus at the first Pentecost.

Source of reflection: Donal Neary S.J., via https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/ Source of image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/42622611981/ (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), “Holy Spirit and Fire with Baptismal Font”, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56760 [retrieved August 16, 2025].

News

• 17 August - Half an hour before Mass, we’ll offer a short training session to all current and future altar servers - especially taking into account today’s baptism :) Every child of school age interested in joining the team of altar servers is warmly welcome.
• 17 August - We are happy to welcome a new member into the community of the church through baptism at Mass this Sunday. Please include little Ramly and his family in your prayers!