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, 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.

Friends, as this liturgical year comes to a close, the church has been inviting us to

read from the extraordinary letter to the Hebrews.

In fact, this week we're reading our sixth of seven passages.

This letter isn't really a letter, it's more of a treatise.

It was written probably somewhere toward the end of the first century, and most likely

not by St. Paul himself, though by someone influenced by Paul.

It's one of the most thorough and penetrating presentations of the meaning of Jesus anywhere

in the New Testament.

Its language is often puzzling to us, and we read especially a snippet from it, and we

find it especially difficult to understand, but it rewards a careful and repeated study.

What I'll do in this homily is talk about one of the major themes of the letter to the

Hebrews, and that is the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

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