Happy New Year: A FIRE that Enkindles Other Fire

By Frank Savadera, SJ

Welcome back to school! It’s 2009 … the year of the OX and HAPPY NEW YEAR to EVERYONE!   To begin our reflection this new year, let me burden you with my singing of a song I learned when I was in 4th Grade. The song goes:  It only takes a spark to get the fire going … And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;That’s how it is with God’s love one’s you’ve experienced it … You want to sing, it’s fresh like spring.  You want to pass it on.

It’s the New Year and isn’t right to say that we want to feel invigorated as we resume our regular tasks either in school or in the offices.  Question:  How do you return to your office desks, check on the projects and activities you left pending last year and say: WOW! WORK!  I’m so eager … I’m so excited! Let’s get back down to work … QUICK? DALI!  MagTRABAHO na tayo! What about for some of us?  How do we psyche ourselves up and say:  WOW! I have 3 term papers to finish and an exam this week … I’m so EXCITED!  Let me begin with my outline now.  Yeheey!  Magpupuyat na naman ako! Yeheeey! Ang galing!  With all the to-do-list that we have ALL begun taking out again from our pockets … with all the serious businesses that we again anticipate to get into this 2009 … today at the beginning of the year … do we expect at least to derive inspiration, joy and energy from each other.    

Let me plug and promote a new battle cry: We are the FIRE that KINDLES other FIRES … or in Pilipino, perhaps we may say:  ANG APOY NA NAGPAPANINGAS NG IBA PANG APOY. Ang  Ganda!  Isn't it that in times like these when the weather gets cooler  … it helps to find a little warmth, joy, fire and inspiration from others.  

What kind of FIRE would that be … we ask?  We read the Gospels and note that Jesus himself is that FIRE.   If for our new year’s resolution, we say we would wish to be little more patient, a little more loving and compassionate … then the Gospel exhorts us to look at Jesus.  Who is more patient?  Who is more loving?  Who is more compassionate?  We look to Jesus!  Likewise, we can note an image of Jesus as a MAN of ACTION.  Coming from our reflections on Jesus' nativity ... now we JUMP to images of Jesus beginning his public ministry.  He left his town of Nazareth and as the Gospel describes … he went around ALL of Galilee.  A man of action indeed.  Imagine … walking around ALL of GALILEE proclaiming that the Kingdom of God has indeed come. Indeed, Jesus must have been a BUSY-BODY … indeed a man of action ... such FIRE and ENTHUSIASM that we can acquire for ourselves indeed … the ACTION and RESOLUTENESS of Jesus.  

What are our many New Year’s resolutions? Madami ba? These we know, are as good only as our willingness to put them to action.   May the example of Jesus actively involved in ministry, inspires us to see how His FIRE can keep us active and productive in 2009.

Second … again from the Gospel … we pick up a kind of fire so described by Isaiah the prophet … that is, the FIRE … the GREAT LIGHT that shines upon those who sit in DARKNESS.  Sometimes we tell ourselves:  Naku ang dami na nating problema!  How can we all get out of this rut … this collective experience of darkness?  

Jesus was FIRE … but then this Fire was also LIGHT amidst the darkness.  Jesus moved around HEALING the sick, reaching out to those in pain, exorcising the devil from the possessed, letting the blind see and the lame walk.  In him, the people in darkness have indeed seen a great light.   He was “lux in domino,” the light for those losing hope, the optimist for those who have become cynics, the worthy coach for those needing a little more encouragement.  We are exhorted to be that FIRE … that LIGHT … that brings about healing more than greater division … that LIGHT that contributes to the solution to problems than to the problem itself. How are we all asked to be that beacon of light amidst our situations of darkness?    

Thirdly, that same FIRE and LIGHT is contagious and makes possible the bringing together of God’s community of believers. The Gospel tells us that as Jesus moved around curing the sick … GREAT CROWDS from GALILEE, JERUSALEM, JUDEA and even beyond the JORDAN followed Him.  Word truly gets around.  Practically speaking, we stick to products and gadgets that work.  Easily, we can become an advocate … an endorser of this brand of soap or computer or this appliance instead of that other one.  Eventually we are drawn to persons who share with us a common inclination.  Why stick it out with something or someone who or that which is repulsive?  Why?  Because FIRE and LIGHT are things that are meant to provide us a sense of WELLNESS. Isn’t it that we stick it out with people who appreciate us? Who make us feel good about ourselves?  This New Year our wish also is to become NOT the person whom people abhor … whom people avoid. GREAT CROWDS from all over came and followed Jesus because he had a great sense of appeal, wellness and attractiveness in him.  This is why in 2009, we would also like to be more attractive and appealing also in many ways (physically or emotionally) so that we may build a community that shares this same FIRE and LIGHT with others.

Friends, we reflect on our readings today and say simply: This 2009, we want to PASS ONTO  OTHERS the LIGHT and the FIRE that kindles the FIRE of people around us.  We look to Jesus and see how this Fire means always being in ACTION, always wishing to serve as the LIGHT amidst our experiences of darkness and sharing this most appealing and attractive FIRE and LIGHT with the GREAT CROWDS that long to see and experience Jesus.  Friends, this is what we would like to pass on to others this 2009.  And with the same song we sang earlier, we end our reflection and say:  What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding.  The birds begin to sing … the flowers start their blooming.  That’s how it is with God love … once you’ve experienced it.  You want to sing, it’s fresh like spring.  You want to pass it on.  (Jesus … the FIRE that KINDLES OTHERS FIRE. Allow us the grace to PASS ONTO OTHERS your LIGHT and your LOVE this 2009). AMEN.