First reading: Jer. 38:4–6,8–10

In those days, the princes said to the king: “Jeremiah ought to be put to death; he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such things to them; he is not interested in the welfare of our people, but in their ruin.” King Zedekiah answered: “He is in your power”; for the king could do nothing with them. And so they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah, which was in the quarters of the guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.

Ebed-melech, a court official, went there from the palace and said to him: “My lord king, these men have been at fault in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah, casting him into the cistern. He will die of famine on the spot, for there is no more food in the city.” Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite to take three men along with him, and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he should die.

Second reading: Heb. 12:1–4

Brothers and sisters: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

Gospel: Lk. 12:49–53

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.”

In other words

by Fr. Randy Flores, SVD (Sacred Heart Parish Shrine, Kamuning, Quezon City)

Fr. John Fuellenbach, SVD (+2023), in his insightful book Throw Fire (Logos Publications, 1998), explores the meaning behind the puzzling Gospel verse in Luke 12:49, where Jesus proclaimed, “I came to throw fire on this earth and how much I desire to see it burning!”

The late SVD theologian interprets this as Jesus’s vision—a passionate calling that transcends mere words. It represents a purpose to live for, to endure hardships for (“enduring the cross” as the Letter to the Hebrews states), and ultimately to sacrifice for—a fervor that cannot be contained within oneself but yearns to be shared, spread, and kindled in others.

Jesus’ vision is aimed at transformation. According to Fr. Fuellenbach, the meaning behind the subsequent phrase, “I did not come to bring peace but division,” is that Jesus intends to disrupt the status quo.

Jesus is as if saying: “Do not think that I came to leave you in peace, no, I came to disturb, to upset and change things. The world will never be the same after I have thrown fire on it.”

We who are modern followers of Jesus are then challenged to be on fire—to “run the race with our eyes fixed on Jesus” (Second Reading).

How can we be on fire like and for Jesus? The life of the prophet Jeremiah (see First Reading) provides some hints.

Jeremiah is often described as the “weeping prophet” due to his deep empathy and frustrations for the plight of his people. His passion for delivering God s message, even when difficult or unpopular, was like a fire burning within him.

Jeremiah lived during a tumultuous time in Israel’s history, witnessing the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. He conveyed messages of warning, urging people to turn from their sinful ways to avoid impending disaster. His passion for his mission made him confront kings, priests, and the people themselves, speaking the truth despite facing rejection and persecution. In the First Reading, the royalty condemned him to death and threw him into a cistern full of mud to starve him to death.

Jeremiah’s prophecies were poignant and vivid, using powerful metaphors and symbolic actions to communicate God’s message. For instance, he wore a yoke to symbolize submission to Babylon, urged repentance by breaking a potter’s vessel, and even bought a field as a sign of hope for the future restoration of Israel.

Jeremiah’s unwavering commitment to his prophetic mission, coupled with his fervent emotional involvement, truly depicts him as a man ablaze with passion for God’s word and the welfare of his people, even if he was not listened to.

In the same book by Fr. Fuellenbach, he shares the remarkable story of Mother Teresa (now Saint Teresa of Calcutta). When questioned about how she could confront the seemingly insurmountable challenges of her work in Calcutta, where the number of those in dire need dwarfed the people she could assist, she responded with profound insight: “The good Lord did not send me into the streets of Calcutta in order to be successful in what I do but to be faithful in witnessing to his love present in the midst of human suffering in the love I show to these people.”