Word on Fire is brought to you by Catholic Cemetery's, serving the Chicago area since 1837.

This is Cardinal Francis George, and I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to

reflect with Father Robert Barron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire.

Father Barron will challenge us to open our hearts to the Word on Fire, which is God's

Word of Love for each of us.

If our hearts are open, the Lord can change and transform us, who we might speak with

God's Love about the One who is Love.

The Archdiocese of Chicago through the generosity of Sacred Heart Parish and Winetka now presents

the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you.

Friends on this fourth Sunday of Edmund, the Scriptures present us with two people whose

imaginations aren't big enough to accommodate God's plans.

Two men who learn how to dream beyond their wildest dreams, and this makes them very important

Advent figures.

The first, and he's presented in our first reading, is an obscure figure from the distant

biblical past, Ahaz, the King of Judah, who was Ahaz.

He was a young king, reigning around the year 740 BC.

So about 250 years after King David, a full three-quarters of a millennium before Jesus.

So it's a very ancient, very distant figure.

Ahaz, as I say, was young and untested.

He was a new king, and he was facing a very complex political challenge.

So keep in mind, the era of David and Solomon is over.

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