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, so that we might speak with

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.

Francis, we come to the end of the liturgical year.

The church regales us with stories of the end of the world.

Let me give you some examples now.

Our first reading from today is from the book of the Prophet Malachi.

Low the day is coming, blazing like an oven.

When all the proud and all evil doers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will

set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the Lord of hosts.

And how about this from the Gospel for today?

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and

votive offerings, Jesus said, all that you see here, the days will come when there will

not be left one stone upon another, all will be thrown down.

Harsh readings, difficult, challenging, a little bit frightening even.

The church has long been fascinated by this question of the end times, the end of the

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