This year more than many I can remember, my symbolic Lenten journey and my life journey have been in step. I’ve spent a lot of energy during the past forty days looking at what I believe about ultimate things, what I believe about my call, and what I believe about the setting in which I do ministry. I read Cynthia Bourgeault’s Wisdom Jesus as my Lenten book this year. Thanks to her, I’ve even examined whether or not believing is even the point of Chrstianity. I’m increasingly discovering that the contemplative stream of Christianity is a not a path of believing per se, but a path of transformation in response to our beliefs.
As we approach the end of our Lenten fast tonight, it’s the image of kindling new fire that is capturing my imagination. The first activity of the Great Vigil of Easter is to kindle new fire, sanctifying it with this prayer:
O God, through your Son you have bestowed upon your people the brightness of your light: Sanctify this new fire, and grant that in this Paschal feast we may so burn with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may attain to the festival of everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the first time ever, I feel ready to submit to the fiery will of the Spirit and risk burning with heavenly desires! I’ve never really understood the cleansing and renewing power of fire until living in the Northwest and being called to a new appreciation of Creation by its beauty. I’ve tended to be more comfortable with the watery images of the Spirit in birth and baptism, leaving the fire for braver souls.(My otherwise fairly formal and academic ordination paper included the phrase, “the Spirit freaks me out!”)
In truth, both of these images of the Spirit are risky. Water can destroy just as easily as fire and both are life-giving if we are in right relationship with them. We have the illusion of being able to tame both fire and water, but both are wild things that defy mastery. I still question why these elements of risk and danger must be a part of our relationship with the Living God, but that’s a question for another reflection.
My hope on this Easter eve for myself and for those with whom I minister is that we will be granted the ability to kindle new fire that we may burn anew with heavenly desires. Thanks be to God.
