Good morning, this is Cardinal Francis George, and I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to reflect with Father Robert Baron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire.

Father Baron 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 Parishing Winetka now presents the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you. Friends, there's kind of an odd paradox in our readings for this Sunday.

The second reading is from Paul's magnificent letter to the Galatians.

Here's a line, it is for freedom that Christ set us free.

So stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

At the heart of Paul's message in so many of his letters is freedom.

And here you see it, here you encounter it in this ringing declaration.

It's for liberty, freedom that Christ has set us free from slavery.

Now where's the paradox? The paradox comes in when we look at the other readings proposed for today.

The first one is from the first book of kings. It's a story about Elijah the prophet.

You know, by the way, if you're looking for some really not only theologically profound, but really interesting and even funny, adventurous readings in the Bible, read the Elijah cycle in the first book of kings.

But here's one toward the end. Elijah is an old man. He has to choose his successor as prophet.

The Lord says to him, you shall anoint Elisha. And so Elijah, without asking, without seeking permission, simply goes over and throws his mantle, his cloak over Elisha and says, you are the new prophet. You're my successor.

And Elisha, after slaughtering the oxen that he had been using for plowing, joins him.

Now that's a wonderful story. And it sounds like a lot of things, but the one thing it doesn't sound like is freedom.

In fact, just the opposite. It sounds as though this man is being impressed into service without being asked, without his permission being sought.

The paradox gets even greater when we look at the gospel reading, which is from the gospel of Luke.

It begins by saying that Jesus resolutely set his face toward Jerusalem. Why?

By an inner necessity, he knows that this is what God wants. This is the will of his father, that he go to Jerusalem to be crucified.

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