Jesus said, “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! (Luke 12:49-50)
What is this fire that Jesus was talking about? In the context of chapter 12 of Luke, this fire refers to the fire in one’s heart and soul in being a disciple of Christ. The eagerness and zeal of the disciples as they accompanied Christ merely foreshadowed this fire, for it was ultimately ignited by the ‘baptism’ of Christ; which is His Passion, Death and Resurrection. However, it was in the coming of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost that this fire was firmly planted in the hearts and souls of the disciples. The blazing fire which Jesus longed to set the earth on fire is the fire of the Holy Spirit which inspires true repentance, and results in unwavering faith and a heroic love for God and neighbor.
The Saints recognized the Cross of Christ as the source of this blazing fire in their hearts. The images in which they are depicted by the Church show them beholding or embracing the Cross; e.g. St. Andrew, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Wu Guosheng, etc. In scripture, this blazing fire has been clearly depicted in the life of St. Paul as an unrelenting evangelizer. In His own words, St. Paul speaks of the things that he endured out of his love for Christ and zeal for his mission:
“Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2Corinthians 11:24-28)
Many Christians imagine the blazing fire that Jesus talked about as a rush of emotions, an exuberance of feelings or jumping up and down with arms raised in worship. Although those instances may genuinely be inspired by the Holy Spirit in some cases, the real blazing fire is one that burns consistently in the silence of one’s heart. In addition to a great desire to spread the Gospel and to bring people into the faith, listed below are 5 manifestations when the fire of the Holy Spirit blazes in a disciple’s heart:
- An openness to the word of God. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) Just like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, our hearts are set on fire whenever we read and reflect on the scriptures, opening our minds and hearts to God, to His will and to His ways.
- Perseverance on the narrow road. Hebrews chapter 12 sums it up for us: “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.” (Hebrews 12:1)
- Inner peace. Jesus assures His disciples that the peace which He gives to them surpasses any kind of peace in this world: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27) This same peace was announced by the angels to the shepherds at the birth of Christ: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)
- Unwavering faith and trust in God. How can anyone have unwavering faith and trust in God unless the fire of the Holy Spirit blazes within his heart? Peter and the other Apostles started out with eagerness and zeal in following Christ with the expectation that He is the Messiah (cf. Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11). However, it was not until they received the fire of the Holy Spirit that they came out of hiding and boldly preached the Gospel (cf. Acts 2:1-11).
The fire of the Holy Spirit is already within us, we must rekindle it and allow it to burn into a blazing fire!