I am come to send fire on the earth; and would that it were already kindled?
All Commentaries on Luke 12:49 Go To Luke 12
Cyril of Alexandria
AD 444
We affirm that the fire that Christ sent out is for humanity’s salvation and profit. May God grant that all our hearts be full of this. The fire is the saving message of the gospel and the power of its commandments. We were cold and dead because of sin and in ignorance of him who by nature is truly God. The gospel ignites all of us on earth to a life of piety and makes us fervent in spirit, according to the expression of blessed Paul. Besides this, we are also made partakers of the Holy Spirit, who is like fire within us. We have been baptized with fire and the Holy Spirit. We have learned the way from what Christ says to us. Listen to his words: “Truly I say to you, that except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” It is the divinely inspired Scripture’s custom to give the name of fire sometimes to the divine and sacred words and to the efficacy and power which is by the Holy Spirit by which we are made fervent in spirit. Commentary on Luke, Homily
