World on Fire

For millennia, fire has captivated mankind. A source of heat and light, the dance of flames continues to fascinate us, often with a hypnotic effect. Imagine the wonder and awe our ancestors must have felt when they first beheld this phenomenon:

          Caveman #1: Oog! Junga thunga ungh!
          Caveman #2: Rooby roo!
          Cavewoman #1: Why are you both talking like that?

(I paraphrase.)

Undoubtedly, fire has revolutionized human history. It has kept us warm, cooked our food, illuminated pathways, aided artisans in their craft, powered machines, brought us together socially, become a universal and versatile symbol that pervades popular culture, and so forth. And while the science of the spectacle has found its niche in modern times, nothing can quite replace the primal attraction we feel towards a cozy campfire crackling over glowing embers.

Sadly, though, our innate allure to this spellbinding power is tempered by its dark side. From antiquity the dominion of Hell has been frequently illustrated as a place of fire and brimstone where the souls of the unrepentant wither under the oppression of a merciless heat. In the physical realm, fast-moving blazes can turn buildings into furnaces and forests into walls of fiery smoke, destroying property and claiming lives. Civil unrest and warfare leave behind the scorched remains of a broken humanity. Then there are those who harbor such a burning and inexplicable hatred that they feel utterly compelled to do harm unto others. I along with millions watched on repeat as the Twin Towers exploded into deadly fireballs on the day that forever robbed me of the naïveté of youth. And such terrible deeds as the acts of terrorism committed in Paris and the mass shooting in San Bernardino, CA remain in recent memory. To quote Michael Caine's solemn remark in The Dark Knight (2008), "Some men just want to watch the world burn."

Source

Given these sobering realities we face in our everyday existence, I find it ironic how Saint Catherine of Siena once explained our duty as Christians, saying, "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire." Indeed, her description of "setting the world on fire" stands in stark contrast with the negative connotation many people would interpret in such a phrase. But we should consider the fact that over the course of biblical history God has often chosen to reveal His Presence under the appearances of flames. Perhaps the most famous episode is Moses' encounter with the burning bush on Mount Horeb (Exodus 3-4). The Holy Spirit as it descended upon the Apostles on Pentecost took the form of "tongues as of fire" (Acts 2). On the compelling nature of His Word the prophet Jeremiah expounds, "I say I will not mention him, I will no longer speak in his name. But then it is as if fire is burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding back, I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:9)! And lest we forget that the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (along with the Immaculate Heart of Mary) is depicted as being topped with fiery tongues! Quite honestly, a simple online search uncovers many references to the various Persons of the Trinity in the context of flames, which should not be surprising since, as Saint Paul succinctly states, "...our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

As human beings, we are created in His image. Therefore, we too must house a certain burning essence in our souls. Do we not feel joy? Excitement? Ardor? These emotions, these proclivities, cannot be born from the depths of a cold heart of stone; rather, they must be kindled by the Spirit that ignites our very beings and gives life to sensations that would otherwise remain aimless and in vain. Perhaps this is why we are so instinctively attracted to fire, and moreover to God?

The question then becomes, How am I to use this gift, this inner "fire?" I have found in the lyrics to the following Poets of the Fall song some hidden wisdom on the challenges of discovering what I call "il fuoco dentro" — the "fire within" — and using it in a way that honors that gift. I encourage you to draw your own conclusions...

Our inborn sense of passion as represented by this concept of il fuoco dentro is the driving force behind our conduct in all matters. How we direct those energies determines how we ignite the world. Do we act selfishly and cultivate discord, or do we foster peace and mercy, charity and love? Do we choose — either unconsciously or consciously — to reduce the world to ashes, or do we set it alight with the joy that only God can give? There is no doubt this gift is also a great responsibility. It is our obligation, therefore, to demonstrate the inherent goodness of this fire within, to use it as it was intended. That is, we are called to be like beacons showing the way to holiness, catching on spiritual fire the hearts and souls of everyone we encounter. If we persevere in denouncing the evils which threaten to burn us down, we shall assuredly burn bright with the light of Christ for all the world to see.