Attain

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Attain

Spirit     Baptism

Endure    Persevere     Witness

Set Earth On Fire

Blaze

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Prayer:   Collect for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

God, fill our hearts with the power of your Love so that we might attain all you want for us.

Your gifts surpass anything we could ever want.

Scripture:   Luke 12:49 and 50

Jesus said, "I have come to make sure that the earth is on fire. I wish it was on fire right now!"

Reflection

Have you ever thought about what God wants us to attain?

We certainly are all busy trying to attain many things----a better job; a nicer home; more friends; justice in our world.

We fundamentally want to make our world better for ourselves, our families, and all our sisters and brothers in the world. 

Our Collect points us in the direction that will help us to attain what God promises for us: our hearts must be filled with the power of God's Love.

When this happens, there is no stopping us!

Jesus points this out in the Gospel of Luke. He tells us that He wants to set the world on fire. 

This reminds us of the story of Pentecost when the tongues of fire came upon those gathered in the upper room. They were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and were able to witness to the Good News of Jesus and proclaim that to everyone they would meet.

Jesus invites us to follow that path today and to set our world on fire with the power of God's Love. We do that by seeing where we can help those who are in need. We can reach out to them with our kindness and consideration.

We have seen this recently with how so many people in Poland and other countries have reached out and accepted refugees from the Ukraine who are suffering from the effects of a devastating war.

Jesus was in communion with God who filled Him with the power of God's Love. It is that Love which set the world on fire so many years ago and still sets the world on fire each day. It is that Love which came to us at our Baptism.

Kathy's photo reflects the beauty and power of our world as it is set on fire with the Sun. Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, wants to set us on fire also.

When we accept that invitation to be set on fire, the blaze that comes from God's Love will transform us and our world.

1. What does God want you to attain with your life?

2. What can we attain when our hearts are filled with the power of God's Love?

3. Why does Jesus want to set the world on fire?

4. What do you see when you contemplate Kathy's photo?

(Collect and Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)