From the Friars: Fire From Heaven

When the Samaritans would not receive Jesus, James and John say to him, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” No wonder Jesus called them the Sons of Thunder. This sounds extremely harsh to us but, as always, it is important to understand things in their proper context.

The Apostles were devout Jews who were raised hearing the Old Testament Scriptures being read each Sabbath. And there is no getting around the fact that God sometimes intervenes in the history of the chosen people in violent ways such as when He struck down all the first-born sons in Egypt. The God of Israel, the One True God, is just and He has the right to punish evil and to give and take what belongs to Him, including life itself.

But Our Lord rebukes James and John. Some manuscripts of the gospel add, “and he said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are; for the Son of man came not to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” (Lk 9:55) Why did God send fire and brimstone to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in ancient times and then later tell us to love our enemies? We could spend years studying this mystery but the first thing to remember is that violence and death originated with rebellion against God, first by the angels and then by our first parents.

And when there is separation from our Creator, the source of unity, love and truth, the result is the ‘kill or be killed‘ world of nature and much of human history. Our Father in Heaven has always planned to save us in His Son and reveal His compassion. But He first had to prepare us by using a language we understood, to show us that He is stronger than all false gods and that He is just. There is no mercy without justice.

In Jesus He reveals the fullness of His Mercy, especially in His death on the Cross. Rather than have 12 legions of angels wipe out the Romans, He offers Himself on the Cross as a sacrifice of love. He shows a higher way. Violence may still be sadly necessary to protect the innocent from unjust attackers in this fallen world, but it is the Love of God that will have the final word.

The martyrs conquer with the holy violence of self-gift for the sake of one’s enemies. Let the Love of the Holy Spirit be the only fire we call down from Heaven, not to destroy but to bring conversion, reconciliation and life.

God bless you.

Fr. Peter