Word on fire is brought to you by Catholic cemeteries, 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

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, the Gospel for today contains one of the most important, but misunderstood lines

in all of Christ's scripture, spying Jesus.

John the Baptist says, behold, the Lamb of God, and that provides a very important, interpretive

key for the whole Gospel of John.

But what does it mean?

In a very casual survey some years ago, I asked a number of people, churchgoers, what

that phrase meant to them, the Lamb of God, and here's the answer I typically got.

Well, it means that he's gentle and humble and good.

He's like a lamb.

See, for a first century Jew, that phrase, the Lamb of God, would have had little, if anything

to do with that sort of thing, gentle, meek, nice.

What it meant was it had to do with sacrifice.

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