Word on Fire is brought to you by Catholic Cemetery's, 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

God's 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, I want to move rather slowly through our Gospel for today.

Remaining very attentive to what this text meant in its own time.

You know, sometimes I think we're so eager to show the relevance of biblical passages

for our own time that we can miss or pass over too quickly what they were originally

about.

And actually, the more we attend to that, oddly, the more relevant they become to us,

I think.

Well, the reading for today, the Gospel, is drawn from the fourth chapter of Matthew's

Gospel.

And it describes a very important moment of transition.

John the Baptist, from whom Jesus had sought baptism, has been arrested, and will soon we

know be put to death.

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