Fire
Excerpt from Deuteronomy 5:24-25
"Look, the Lord our God has shown us God’s glory, and we have heard God’s voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that God may speak to someone and the person may still live. So now why should we die? For this great fire will consume us . . . ."
Reflection by Mary Luti
In November of 1654, mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal met the Living God. He made a note of the encounter and sewed it into the lining of the coat. He wore that coat every day. He did not show the note to anyone. It was found only after his death. It began like this:
The year of grace 1654
Monday, 23 November, feast of Saint Clement, Pope and Martyr, and of others in the Martyrology
Eve of Saint Chrysogonus, Martyr and others.
From about half past ten in the evening until half past midnight.
Excerpt from Deuteronomy 5:24-25
"Look, the Lord our God has shown us God’s glory, and we have heard God’s voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that God may speak to someone and the person may still live. So now why should we die? For this great fire will consume us . . . ."
Reflection by Mary Luti
In November of 1654, mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal met the Living God. He made a note of the encounter and sewed it into the lining of the coat. He wore that coat every day. He did not show the note to anyone. It was found only after his death. It began like this:
The year of grace 1654
Monday, 23 November, feast of Saint Clement, Pope and Martyr, and of others in the Martyrology
Eve of Saint Chrysogonus, Martyr and others.
From about half past ten in the evening until half past midnight.
When the Israelites begged Moses to be their intermediary, it was because they had felt the fire. They had no desire to feel it again. They were persuaded that they could not survive it. It was in their best interest to let Moses have the face time. So far he had come away from the divine encounter unsinged, but with God you never knew. Better him than them.
I suppose they were right to be cautious. All bets are off when you meet the Living One who has decided to come to you as is. If we have lost the art—and wisdom—of serious fear and trembling before the God who is God, we may be in more peril than we know. God is love, which is different from saying that God is nice. And this love burns everything up in its passion.
And so they make Moses go instead of them. A smart move, but maybe also a lost chance—for them, and for too many of us, who render God safe. Never to know what might rise from the ashes of such a consummation. Never to carry in the lining of our daily hearts a red- hot note of inexplicable joy. Why shouldn’t that make us tremble more?
Prayer
O sometimes, Holy and Living God, cause me to tremble, tremble, tremble… and give me fire. Amen.
I suppose they were right to be cautious. All bets are off when you meet the Living One who has decided to come to you as is. If we have lost the art—and wisdom—of serious fear and trembling before the God who is God, we may be in more peril than we know. God is love, which is different from saying that God is nice. And this love burns everything up in its passion.
And so they make Moses go instead of them. A smart move, but maybe also a lost chance—for them, and for too many of us, who render God safe. Never to know what might rise from the ashes of such a consummation. Never to carry in the lining of our daily hearts a red- hot note of inexplicable joy. Why shouldn’t that make us tremble more?
Prayer
O sometimes, Holy and Living God, cause me to tremble, tremble, tremble… and give me fire. Amen.
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