For a Christian, humility is absolutely indispensable. Without it, there is no self-knowledge, no repentance, no faith, and no salvation. Thomas Edison, the famous inventor of the early 20th century, is truly a humble man at heart. This inventor of the phonograph and incandescent lamp once said to his assistant: People call me a great inventor. I’m no inventor worth talking about. When I think that I can’t even build the simplest being that could think and speak, or at least do something on its own, I know that there is only one true inventor. At that, he pointed his finger heavenward.

Like every male Jew, Jesus goes to Jerusalem several times to celebrate the great Jewish feasts. For every male Jew, it is a dream to visit the Temple in Jerusalem upon reaching maturity. They fulfill the commandments (mitzvot) and join in festivals like Passover. The Psalms often sing the words of Yahweh: I will set my king on Zion, my holy mountain. Zion is called the fairest of all the heights and the joy of all the earth. The only Temple of the Jewish religion stands on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. People from all over the world long to go there to worship and offer sacrifices to the one true God. Jesus also travels to Jerusalem. One day, He would give his life there.

I come to set the earth on fire. Fire symbolizes many things: First, there are destructive fires that cause significant damage to property, homes, buildings, and other structures. And forest fires, like the Dragon Bravo Forest Fire at Grand Canyon National Park, which started on the 4th of July, 2025, and has burned approximately 141,000 acres. It is now the largest wildfire in the Grand Canyon area managed by firefighters. Second, the benefits of fire for cooking food for the hungry, providing heat for those in the cold, purifying waters, and giving light to homes where there is no electricity. Lastly, fire ignites combustion engines that help transport people and material goods. But the fire that the Lord speaks of is the radical decision to change our life’s direction, the fire in the heart of the believer.

On many occasions in the Gospel, the Lord teaches His disciples about vigilance, for the coming of God, or against thieves or those who want to harm God’s people. But this watchfulness should be translated into one’s spirit of prayer and the constancy of one’s faith.

After an interruption from someone in the crowd, Jesus shifts the focus of His teaching - from not being afraid of persecution to not worrying about provisions for the future.

Jesus makes this point in the Parable of the Rich Fool, found only in the Gospel of Luke. He warns them of the predicament of the rich man and about the danger of greed. When one focuses only on material wealth, it leads to self-absorption. We need to trust God - He will provide. Trust our past to God’s mercy. Trust our present to God’s love and trust our future to God’s providence. The idea of “growing rich” for ourselves is deceptive, as Scripture exposes. So, try or strive to grow rich in the sight of God, which leads to a joyful and peaceful way of life.