Daily Gospel Reflection

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October 24, 2024

Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lk 12:49-53
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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.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Reflection

Todd Walatka
Teaching Professor, Notre Dame Theology Department
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When I turn to Scripture, I usually seek words of comfort and encouragement, or perhaps, in some cases, an invitation to see Christ’s love and peace in a new way. I think of John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; or Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21 that we “may be one” as he and the Father are one. Regardless, I’m always expecting to hear good news. But what do we hear today? Our Lord, the Prince of Peace, declares, “I have come to set the earth on fire” to bring division, not peace.

Of course, living out the divisions Jesus speaks of in our gospel appears to be one of the few things we seem to be good at! Look around at our world today: wars, violence, political divisions, and literal fire ravaging the earth. There is so much to lament for in the state of our world. But then, how do we make sense of Jesus’s foretelling of division? How are these words Gospel—“good news”?

I can only understand this in terms of two words we don’t use as often today: sin and idolatry. St. Óscar Romero often commented on how even though we do not worship the ancient gods of paganism, we still have our idols. We put money, power, comfort, and convenience before God. We live in a world where we let political ideologies become the center of our identities. This is the world that Jesus comes to set ablaze. He is not offering a gentle suggestion. He wants to set our worlds on fire so that we all may turn back to his love.

Prayer

Members of the Holy Cross Novitiate

Father all-powerful, you sent the Holy Spirit into the world to set our hearts on fire. May the grace we receive through your Spirit help us to heal the divisions that separate us from our brothers and sisters. Help us to be zealous advocates of your undying love for humanity, so that all people will work to make you known, loved, and served. We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Saint of the Day

St. Anthony Mary Claret

St. Anthony Mary Claret led a colorful life as a popular preacher in Spain and Archbishop of Cuba, even surviving an assassination attempt and then pleading for the life of his attacker.

Anthony was born in Spain in 1807, the son of a weaver. He grew up practicing his father’s trade, and studied Latin and printing in his spare time. At the age of 22, he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1835.

He had a desire to serve in the foreign missions, but his health failed and he was encouraged to focus his efforts on evangelizing the people of his native Spain. He began to preach parish missions and give retreats throughout his home region.

His zeal inspired other priests. He gathered a number together and established a new religious order, the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who are now known as Claretians. The order spread through Spain and beyond.

Soon after this success, he was appointed Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba. It was difficult work reforming the Church in Cuba, which had fallen into disorder, and he encountered deep resistance. In fact, on several occasions, he was nearly assassinated.

In one case, a man seriously wounded Anthony because he blamed him for the loss of his mistress, who had converted her life and left him. Anthony interceded for the man in court, however, and saved him from a death sentence.

In 1857, Anthony returned to Spain to serve the queen. He refused to reside in the court, however, and spent as much time as he could preaching to ordinary people and spreading good reading literature throughout his home region. He is responsible for founding Barcelona’s Libreria Religiosa, now known as the Claret Library, which played a large role in preserving and enhancing Catholic culture in Spain.

Anthony preached 10,000 homilies and published more than 200 books or pamphlets to teach the faith. While in charge of an institution of higher education, he established science laboratories, a museum of natural history, as well as schools of music and languages.

Beyond his impressive intellect, Anthony gave his heart to God. As he grew in holiness, he was given the gifts of prophecy and healing, and his prayer often placed him in ecstasy and rapture.

At the end of his life, he was exiled with the queen to Rome. He did not cease his ministry, however, and he attended the first Vatican council and helped to define the teaching of papal infallibility. He died on this date in 1870.

St. Anthony Mary Claret is patron saint of those who work with textiles and in the Catholic press. His relics rest in the Basilica reliquary chapel.

St. Anthony Mary Claret, you supported the Catholic press and are the spiritual father of Cuba—pray for us!


Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Anthony Mary Claret is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed October 4, 2024.