We Are Not Fire Tamers

"Poetry often vanishes, leaving only matchsticks." -Adam Zagajewski

Which makes me think, if the body of Christ gathers, then vanishes into a Sunday, what do we leave behind?

We can leave a church building looking barren and untouched, yet we leave the presence of Christ behind us.

And the more exciting thing is that the presence of Christ then follows us out of church as well.

He stays and goes as we stay or go.  He is present in our presence and beyond our presence.

Poetry is a flame that may only leave traces of light behind when it vanishes.

When we leave a place, we leave a full light, the light of Christ, behind us showing the path for others to join.

Matchsticks are the rumors that a flame was present, maybe even a bonfire.

We Christians are not fire tamers.  We start fires and then can’t put them out.  They are not ours to put out.  They burn even after we leave.  It’s like we are campers who leave fires going after we pack up and head home for the weekend.

Sometimes we leave coals, other times we leave forest fires, but we still leave something that is eternal in our wakes.  Paddle strokes for others to follow.  Bread crumbs for people to see along the trail.

Fires to guide people to a city on a hill.

Zagajewski is a powerful Polish poem, similar to Milosz in his tone and lines.  He writes in ordinary yet beautiful language.  The line that served as the catalyst for this segmented essay comes from his newest book of poetry Eternal Enemies.