Reading 1
Eph 3:14-21
Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
Responsorial PsalmR. (5b)
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten‑stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
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.”
Meditation: Ephesians 3:14-19
“Know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
According to a Norwegian proverb, “That which is loved is always beautiful.” If you give the proper care to a flower, it becomes what it’s supposed to be—beautiful. If you show love to a person who hasn’t known much love, that person can become more like they were meant to be—more generous, more patient, more kind. For the ideal of beauty isn’t so much on the outside of us as on the inside. It’s not about what we have or what we know but who we are.
That kind of beauty is what Paul wanted to foster through this prayer. The first thing he prayed for was that his readers would be empowered so that they could start feeding the poor, caring for the sick, or evangelizing the lost. He then prayed that they would be filled to overflowing with God’s love. He knew that those who are “rooted and grounded” in Christ have the right foundation on which to build the new church (Ephesians 3:17).
How important that is for us as well! Jesus wants us to build the church, but he wants us to learn how to do it with his power, not just our effort. He wants us to learn how to minister out of his love and not just our own good intentions. To this end, God wants to give us deep experiences of this love. He doesn’t want us to settle for an intellectual grasp of it or a theoretical understanding. Rather, he wants to show it to us in our deepest part, our “inner self” (Ephesians 3:16).
As you pray today, try to see yourself as a child of your heavenly Father. Perhaps using the Psalms, reflect on his greatness and love. He created everything. Even your next breath comes from him. His Son redeemed you on the cross with a love beyond all telling. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a glimpse of how great that love is. Let his peace fill you as you enter his presence. Know that he doesn’t just “like” you. He actually delights in you (Psalm 149:4)!
“Father, may Paul’s prayer be answered in me! Help me experience the depths of your mercy so that I can live in the fullness of faith. Lord, set my heart aflame with your love.”
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