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 in Winnettka

now presents the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you.

Friends, our readings for this week are very apocalyptic.

They have to do with the end of time.

They have to do with the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the consummation of all things.

Again, this time of year, as the calendar year and liturgical year

come to a close, so the church asks us to reflect upon these dark, but finally very illuminating

and wonderful matters. The second reading is from Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians,

which is, I think I've told you before, the earliest Christian text we have,

written by Paul sometime probably in the early 50s of the first century,

20 years before the first of the Gospels was written,

the earliest of Paul's letters.

It gives us a wonderful snapshot of what life was like in these very, very primitive Christian communities.

Paul writes to them. About the event that changed his life,

Paul saw the risen Jesus,

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