11th Week of Pentecost

Acts 26:1-2a,6-10,12-19
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now speak on your own behalf.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense. “King Agrippa, now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors. Our twelve tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by Jews, O king. Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead? I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean, and I did so in Jerusalem. I imprisoned many of the holy ones with the authorization I received from the chief priests, and when they were to be put to death I cast my vote against them. “On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests. At midday, along the way, O king, I saw a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions. We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Get up now, and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen (of me) and what you will be shown. I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in me.’ “And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

Luke 12:49-53
“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.”

Many of us use the fire retardants of distraction, sin, lukewarmness, and willful ignorance to prevent ourselves from catching fire. We should rather use the fire starters of prayer, charity, spiritual reading and meditation, confession, and communion to help spread the fire of the Holy Spirit across the earth.

Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Lord,
in your mercy and grace gather the souls of all the dead
into the dwelling place of your majesty.
Place them forever within the realm of your glory
and let the brightness of your splendor shine upon them.
Grant them to rejoice at your right hand with all the saints, and in joy and exultation they will give you glory
and thanksgiving forever.
Amen.