by Fr Crispus Mosinoh, OFM
Acts 22:30,23:6-11
Psalm 15:1-2,5,7-11
John 17:20-26
Theme: Fan the Fire
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we are gathered in the Upper Room to reflect upon God’s word and to allow them to guide us in fanning the fire of our faith. In the book of Acts, we witness how Paul, the Apostle, fearlessly testifying about the Lord in times of difficulties. And in the Gospel of John, we hear a profound prayer from Jesus interceding for the unity and love for His followers. And how can these passages help us to fan the fire especially when the flame is low and weak?
First, we see the example of the Apostle Paul who remains steadfast in his commitment to the Lord despite facing trials and tribulations. He fearlessly, fearlessly proclaim the gospel even when confronted with opposition and threats to his life. This all just because of the fights between who knows, who understands better in terms of the faith.
So as you see, the Sadducees and the Pharisees, they were fighting whether there is resurrection, whether there is angel or whether there is Spirit after life. And so it is very easy to remember. The Pharisees believes all three and Sad-you-sees because the Sadducees do not believe in all these three things. So that is how you remember it, okay?
And because of that misunderstanding, Paul is threatened. So how do we see Paul, how do we learn from Paul?
Paul’s unwavering dedication to the truth should inspire us to fan the fire of our faith. There are times when we have to face the same situation as Paul. When we are challenged and tempted to follow the way of this world. When we are forced to conform to the standard of this world. And just as Paul relied on the Holy Spirit’s strength and guidance, we too must draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to remain steadfast in our faith and share the Good News with courage and conviction.
Secondly, we learn from Jesus’ prayer, the importance of unity and love among believers. So Jesus prayed not only for His disciples but for all those who would believe in Him, through the disciples’ effort in proclaiming and spreading the gospel. Jesus longed for His followers to be united, reflecting the perfect unity of the Father and the Son. It is this unity that would bear witness to the world and to demonstrate the transformative power of the Gospel.
Let us therefore fan the fire of our faith by fostering unity within the body of Christ, within the family, embracing one another with love and grace, and striving for reconciliation in times of disagreement and division.
Now let me share with you an illustration that depicts how we can fan the fire of our faith. Imagine a bonfire on a cold winter’s night. As the flames flicker and dance, you notice that some parts of the fire are brighter and stronger than others. The flames in the centre burn fiercely, radiating warmth and light. However, the outer edges seem weaker, struggling to sustain their glow. And so in this illustration, we can perceive ourselves as the individual flames within the fire.
To fan the fire of our faith, we must position ourselves closer to the center where the flames burn brighter and stronger. This means drawing nearer to Christ, the source of our faith and through prayer, worship in Mass and the study of the word. And by immersing ourselves in His presence, we allow His love and power to transform our lives, igniting a deeper and more passionate faith within us. Moreover, just as the outer edges of the fire benefit from the intensity of the center, we must extend the warmth of our faith to those around us. We can fan the fire by reaching out to the weak and weary, offering encouragement, support and love.
As we unite in Christ, our collective flames grows stronger, illuminating the darkness of the world and we can draw others to the light of the Gospel. Like Paul, let us fearlessly proclaim the Gospel, relying on the Holy Spirit’s strength and as Jesus prayed, let us foster unity and love among believers within our family reflecting the perfect unity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
By positioning ourselves closer to Christ, fanning the fire within us and extending His love to others, we can be beacons of light in a world longing for hope.
May the fire of our faith burn brightly and may it never extinguish. Amen.
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