Sunday Readings for August 16-17, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Lyn Zahorik | For On Mission
Jesus said he wished the earth to be set ablaze. We have seen the destruction wildfires have caused in our nation. Why, we might wonder, would Jesus wish such a thing upon us?
Jesus used the metaphor of fire to describe the spiritual transformation he desires: that the world be set ablaze with truth, grace and renewal. Though his words were spoken centuries ago, their spiritual and social implications continue to challenge and inspire.
Our inner fire was kindled on the day of our Baptism and, in a unique way, rekindled at our Confirmation. Through frequent reception of sacraments, in particular the holy Eucharist, our inner fire continues to be fanned.
Fire ranges in color, heat and purpose. Similarly, our lives can burn dim or blaze with intensity, depending on how fully we engage with purpose, courage and passion. We need to ask ourselves often: “What temperature am I living at right now?”
Most of us agree that our inner fire usually burns at a moderately even flame. We go about our everyday life spiritually engaged, physically productive, and emotionally reliable — living with clarity and direction, drawing others into our warmth.
Sometimes, our inner fire dims. We are tired, and maybe we feel stuck in the same place. What lies ahead of us feels overwhelming. We feel a disconnect from God and the community around us. What is important to remember is that smoldering embers rise again when stirred. Sometimes we need to rest in the Lord before we can be stirred up again.
Science refers to the hottest of flames as the white-blue flame. I had the opportunity to tour the Kokomo Opalescent Glass factory in Kokomo, Indiana. I observed how this intense, hot flame is critical to the work of a glassblower. The molten glass is gathered and rolled on a flat surface before the glassblower begins to stretch, pinch and refine the final shape. A crucial next step occurs in the annealing oven, where the newly constructed shape is slowly cooled, preventing cracks from forming.
Our souls reach the white-blue flame period when we dedicate our time, talent, and resources to the Gospel, act with courage and civility in a fractured world, and allow prayer and meditation to energize us for God’s mission.
Just as the heat of a fire shifts, the intensity of our lives can change. We’re not meant to live constantly at full blaze — that can lead to burnout. But we also shouldn’t stay in the smoldering smoke, which can rob us of our breath.
At Kokomo, I remember the men who stood at the giant furnaces. Aptly called the “furnace men,” it was their job to closely monitor the fire, knowing when to stoke it, when to let it breathe, or when to reignite it. As we allow our inner fire to burn, we need to fully rely on Jesus as our furnace man, guiding our lives at each moment, to burn at the intensity required to bring his mission on earth to fruition.
The readings for Sunday, August 17, can be found at Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB.