The fire that will burn in the heart.

It is important to pause and look at the context of this Gospel. Jesus is firm in his decision to go to Jerusalem, already on his way, He experiences the first rejection, and the disciples, showing off their power, want to make fire fall from heaven to exterminate those who have done so. But we can already see Jesus’ reaction: this is not the way to deal with rejection, there is another fire, the one he has come to bring and that is that of love. It is the only fire that can burn without smoldering, the one that can purify hearts dulled by prejudice and bring forth a new way of relating. How much we need today to look at the fire of love in our hearts, the one that God also instilled in Jeanne de Lestonnac when He told her: “Be careful, my child, that the fire which I have enkindled in your heart be not extinguished so that it may move you to serve me ardently.” May that voice of God resound in our hearts today.