This is Cardinal Francis George. 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. Word on

Fire Catholic Ministries is a non-profit ministry at the forefront of Catholic evangelization

using new media to spread the faith and every continent. Father Barron challenges 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 global benefactors of Word on Fire with the support of the Archdiocese

of Chicago now present Word on Fire. Peace be with you.

Friends, how would you characterize a relationship, which is predicated upon how much each person gains from the other?

What would a person were to say, well, I expect this friendship to help me in my social climbing, or if the other

friend were to say, you know, as long as I stay close to him, I might get that job I've always wanted.

I mean, wouldn't you call such a relationship mercenary or calculating? And wouldn't you pretty

confidently predict that it would fall apart pretty soon?

Let's suppose a woman came to you and said, you know, I married him for his money. I don't even like him that much,

but I knew I'd make a fortune after his death. All I had to do was, you know, be decent to him until time came

from my payoff. Well, I imagine you'd hold such a woman in contempt. Suppose a soldier came to you,

who'd done heroic things over in Afghanistan and he said to you, well, yeah, I did all those things because I knew it

would help my political career. Yeah, everybody loves a hero. Look at Teddy Roosevelt. Everyone loves a war hero.

I don't really love my country that much and I really couldn't stand my fellow soldiers, but, you know, a guy does

always got to do to get ahead. Well, I trust you'd be fairly flabbergasted.

Here's the point. Friendship, marriage, patriotic devotion. Those are all commitments that are

undertaken for their own sake, not for the benefits that may accrue to the one who enters into the

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