Daily Catholic Lectio
Thu, 23 Oct ‘25
Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday
Romans 6:12–18. Luke 12:39–48
Choosing the Kingdom of God
In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes a startling statement: “I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Fire is both a symbol of purification and passion — it burns, it transforms, and it spreads. Jesus speaks of the fire of the Kingdom — a fire that changes hearts, awakens consciences, and demands a decision.
To follow Christ is not a polite choice that can be postponed for tomorrow. It is an urgent choice, a burning decision that must be made today. The Kingdom of God is not a slow negotiation; it is a consuming fire that seeks to purify every corner of our hearts. When Jesus says He has come to bring “division,” He is not promoting conflict, but describing the inevitable tension that arises when truth enters a world that loves comfort and compromise.
The fire of the Gospel forces each of us to decide: Will I live for myself, or for God?
The fire within: A call to immediate conversion
Jesus’ words — “I wish it were already burning!” — reveal His longing for the world to be ignited by God’s love. This is not a destructive fire, but a creative one — like the flame that melts metal to shape it anew. The prophet Jeremiah once said, “God’s word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones; I am weary of holding it in.” That is the kind of passion Jesus wants in His disciples — hearts on fire with compassion, courage, and conviction. But fire cannot be delayed. It must burn now. The Kingdom of God demands immediate response — not “later,” not “someday.” When the call of God touches our lives, postponement is disobedience in disguise.
The fire that divides: choosing what truly matters
Jesus says this fire will even divide families — “father against son, mother against daughter.”
This sounds harsh, but it simply means that when we choose the Kingdom, we cannot always please everyone. Every true choice creates a division — not out of hatred, but out of clarity.
Light divides from darkness, truth divides from falsehood, faith divides from fear. When we choose Christ, some relationships may strain, some comforts may vanish, some habits may die. But this division is not destruction — it is birth. Just as a child must be separated from the mother’s womb to live, so must we be separated from our old ways to grow in the Kingdom. There is no new life without separation, no resurrection without death.
The fire that unites: one in the Kingdom
The irony of the Gospel is that while the fire divides the world, it also unites those who choose it. Those who love Christ become one family — not bound by blood, but by belief; not by language, but by love. In the Acts of the Apostles, the fire of Pentecost rested on each disciple and yet united them all in one Spirit. This is the fire Jesus speaks of — a divine energy that cleanses, unites, and transforms. The Kingdom of God is not a safe zone but a burning mission field. Those who live for it must be ready to face opposition, misunderstanding, and sacrifice.
But in the end, the fire gives light to those who walk in darkness.
The fire of grace: Paul’s invitation to choose life
In the first reading, St. Paul contrasts two paths — sin and grace, death and life. He writes, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To choose the Kingdom is to choose life — not comfort, but fullness; not safety, but salvation.
We are not slaves of sin, says Paul, but servants of righteousness. God’s grace is the inner fire that purifies our motives and strengthens our will. It helps us to choose the Kingdom even when the cost is high.
Jesus came not to warm us with small comfort, but to set us ablaze with divine purpose. The question He asks today is simple: “Will you let My fire burn in you?” To choose the Kingdom of God is to let the fire of Christ transform us — to burn away greed, fear, pride, and indifference, and to fill our hearts with courage, mercy, and love.
Fire cannot remain hidden — it must spread. If our hearts burn for God, our words and deeds will kindle faith in others. So today, let us ask: What in me still resists the fire of God’s love?
Am I willing to let His Kingdom take over every corner of my life? May the fire that Jesus longed to kindle burn within us — purifying what is dark, dividing what is false, and uniting us in the light of His Kingdom.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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