Set the World on Fire: The Pope Who Opened Wide the Doors

Eph 3:14-21, Psalm: 32, Lk 12:49-53

Memorial of Saint John Paul II, Pope

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

What would your life look like if you truly believed that God could accomplish “far more than all we ask or imagine”? What would you do if the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge, truly took hold of your heart? Today, on the Memorial of Saint John Paul II, the Word of God presents us with a vision of radical faith—rooted in love, filled with the fullness of God, and set ablaze with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

In his Letter to the Ephesians, Saint Paul bows his knees before the Father in a prayer of breathtaking depth. He prays that we may be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” He prays that we may be “rooted and grounded in love,” able to comprehend “the breadth and length and height and depth” of Christ’s love, “which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Then Paul erupts in praise: “Now to him who can accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus speaks of fire and division. “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” He speaks of a baptism He must undergo—His passion and death. He warns that His coming will bring division, even within families. This is not a message of comfort; it is a message of urgency. The fire of God’s love is not a warm, cozy flame. It is a consuming fire that demands a decision. It forces us to choose. It divides. It purifies.

The readings connect through the transforming power of God’s love. Paul prays that we may be filled with the fullness of God—the fullness of His love, His power, His presence. Jesus warns that this fullness comes with a cost. The fire of His love burns away everything that is not of Him. It demands our all.

Saint John Paul II was a man set on fire by this love. From his early years in Poland, through the horrors of Nazi occupation and Soviet oppression, he allowed Christ to dwell in his heart through faith. He was rooted and grounded in love—the love of God, the love of Mary, the love of the Church. And from that rootedness flowed a life of tireless service. He traveled to over 120 countries, proclaiming the Gospel to millions. He wrote encyclicals, catechisms, and apostolic letters that will nourish the Church for centuries. He stood before the world and cried out, “Be not afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!”

Pope Benedict XVI, reflecting on his predecessor, said, “He was a man who let the fire of Christ’s love burn within him.” Pope Francis has said, “Saint John Paul II was the pope of mercy, the pope of hope, the pope who taught us to trust in the love of God.”

What does this mean for us? We are called to the same radical faith. We are called to be rooted and grounded in love, to allow Christ to dwell in our hearts, and to be filled with the fullness of God. We are called to be set on fire with the Holy Spirit—not a cozy flame, but a consuming fire that purifies and transforms. We are called to open wide the doors of our hearts to Christ.

Today, let us examine our hearts. Are we truly rooted and grounded in love? Is Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith? Are we filled with the fullness of God, or are we settling for something less? Let us ask Saint John Paul II to intercede for us, that we may have his courage, his faith, and his love for Christ. And let us open wide the doors of our hearts to the One who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine. Amen.

May God bless you all!