reede, juuni 24, 2005
Send the Fire!
We took turns reading this last night around our fire.
The Day of the Sun
Rediscovering the Summer Solstice
Chris Zimmerman
For centuries, Midsummer’s Day has been celebrated not only as the solar event that marks the northern hemisphere's closest proximity to the sun, but also as a spiritual symbol—as the day of longest light; the day that brings us nearest to the great life force that warms our earth … observed with a communal gathering around a large outdoor bonfire, signifying the destruction of the old and—out of its ashes—the creation of something new: the flaring up of new light, warmth, and life….
Summer Solstice!
Diary, June 23, 1926…. Then came the most beautiful part of the evening—the great big fire. As it flared high, we joined hands in a chain and walked around the fire in the midst of the shower of sparks. Then Pasche said something that really expressed what we all felt as our goal—it united us all: "Flame, free us from everything in us that is evil; free us from it, O Flame! Let us not want to rule and lord it over others. Flame, let your glow fill our souls and consume us. Flame, become greater and greater in us. Thou, Flame, make us free, pure, and good!" … that is really what we want for ourselves‑‑that the Flame, the Light, may grow ever stronger in us.
Then we stood and let the fire, the holy fire, soak into us. The glow made our faces burn, but I wanted to absorb as much as possible of the great flame so that I would be completely consumed by it. Everyone was silent and looked into the fire, and what Pasche had said was like a vow spoken for all of us. Later he read from Faust about the eternal light. I had such a strong, free, and pure feeling—the feeling of life.
Then we sat around the fire and sang…. The fire gradually burned down, and then we jumped over the flames together. It was a wonderful feeling to fly over the fire, and we did it many times. The smoke stung our eyes, but that was part of it…. But then I thought: Live each moment, and take it all in, all the beauty of it. This gave me such a blissful feeling that I thought my heart would burst. I clasped my hands together so the bliss could find expression somehow….
Annemarie’s account is followed by two quotes from Gertrud Prellwitz, a well-known author who influenced many in the youth movement:
"If someone wants to change the world, let him begin with himself. Let him struggle within himself for the pure powers, at the same time applying everything he does and all his inner decisions to the world. In this way his every action will attain greatness, even though its sphere is a small one."
"Thoughts surge in waves through the world. An earthly human being would have to despair of any attempt to oversee them, to discriminate, to disentangle them. Long for purity! Be filled with light! This is what resolves the confusion into unity and clarity. We do not need to oversee it all; all we need is to stay faithful in the small things, and we will discover the law that governs the whole."
Summer Solstice! is an account from the diary of Annemarie Wächter (1909-1980), a long-time member of the Bruderhof with roots in the German Youth Movement.
Midsummer’s Eve
Longest day of sun’s bright light,
shortest night of all dark nights!
Flames of joy leap up, burst in,
burn away the suffering of sin.
Come, rake the fire together
in the light, and find your brother,
serving, with one another,
God, who is unity.
Hate and greed divide men all.
Over earth lies night’s dark pall.
Yet thou cam’st, the world’s true light,
waking men to live aright:
to serve thy kingdom fully,
that injustice give way wholly,
and thy Holy Spirit reign only.
Thy will be done.
O thou never-ending day,
when com’st thou, eternal sun, to stay?
Bring us everlasting peace,
city bright of joy and bliss.
From thee pure radiance streams
as one church, united, gleams.
Its brightness forever streams –
Glory to thee!
[Sannerz, 1926]
Midsummer’s Eve is a poem by Else von Hollander, one of the three founding members of the Bruderhof. Set to a melody by Beethoven shortly after it was written, it is still sung in our communities.
A Powerful Symbol
One of the most powerful symbols … was the fire we often gathered around at evening on a little rise above our house. To us, fire symbolized the burning up of the old and the desire for a new glow and new love. Standing around a bonfire in silent worship, we would watch the flames shoot upward toward the sky - and we sensed the bond between us and the eternal church above. The showering sparks rising heavenward meant that we must send messengers out into the dark world, to spread the message of the coming kingdom of God….
When the fire had burned down so that only a few little licking flames were left, one or the other of us - sometimes two at once, holding hands - would leap over the fire. That too was a symbol for us: it was an unspoken expression of giving oneself completely to the fire of Jesus. Then we would go home in silence... [New Meadow Run, 1973]
In A Powerful Symbol, Karl Keiderling, another member who experienced the earliest years of our communal life remembers its frequent evening gatherings around a bonfire.
Then we sang this song together. Even Karl-Gustav joined in! (Estonians always amaze me with their singing ability.)
1.Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire!
2.God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire!
3.'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight.
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire!
4.To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire!
O see us on thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day,
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire!
William Booth (1829-1912)
The Day of the Sun
Rediscovering the Summer Solstice
Chris Zimmerman
For centuries, Midsummer’s Day has been celebrated not only as the solar event that marks the northern hemisphere's closest proximity to the sun, but also as a spiritual symbol—as the day of longest light; the day that brings us nearest to the great life force that warms our earth … observed with a communal gathering around a large outdoor bonfire, signifying the destruction of the old and—out of its ashes—the creation of something new: the flaring up of new light, warmth, and life….
Summer Solstice!
Diary, June 23, 1926…. Then came the most beautiful part of the evening—the great big fire. As it flared high, we joined hands in a chain and walked around the fire in the midst of the shower of sparks. Then Pasche said something that really expressed what we all felt as our goal—it united us all: "Flame, free us from everything in us that is evil; free us from it, O Flame! Let us not want to rule and lord it over others. Flame, let your glow fill our souls and consume us. Flame, become greater and greater in us. Thou, Flame, make us free, pure, and good!" … that is really what we want for ourselves‑‑that the Flame, the Light, may grow ever stronger in us.
Then we stood and let the fire, the holy fire, soak into us. The glow made our faces burn, but I wanted to absorb as much as possible of the great flame so that I would be completely consumed by it. Everyone was silent and looked into the fire, and what Pasche had said was like a vow spoken for all of us. Later he read from Faust about the eternal light. I had such a strong, free, and pure feeling—the feeling of life.
Then we sat around the fire and sang…. The fire gradually burned down, and then we jumped over the flames together. It was a wonderful feeling to fly over the fire, and we did it many times. The smoke stung our eyes, but that was part of it…. But then I thought: Live each moment, and take it all in, all the beauty of it. This gave me such a blissful feeling that I thought my heart would burst. I clasped my hands together so the bliss could find expression somehow….
Annemarie’s account is followed by two quotes from Gertrud Prellwitz, a well-known author who influenced many in the youth movement:
"If someone wants to change the world, let him begin with himself. Let him struggle within himself for the pure powers, at the same time applying everything he does and all his inner decisions to the world. In this way his every action will attain greatness, even though its sphere is a small one."
"Thoughts surge in waves through the world. An earthly human being would have to despair of any attempt to oversee them, to discriminate, to disentangle them. Long for purity! Be filled with light! This is what resolves the confusion into unity and clarity. We do not need to oversee it all; all we need is to stay faithful in the small things, and we will discover the law that governs the whole."
Summer Solstice! is an account from the diary of Annemarie Wächter (1909-1980), a long-time member of the Bruderhof with roots in the German Youth Movement.
Midsummer’s Eve
Longest day of sun’s bright light,
shortest night of all dark nights!
Flames of joy leap up, burst in,
burn away the suffering of sin.
Come, rake the fire together
in the light, and find your brother,
serving, with one another,
God, who is unity.
Hate and greed divide men all.
Over earth lies night’s dark pall.
Yet thou cam’st, the world’s true light,
waking men to live aright:
to serve thy kingdom fully,
that injustice give way wholly,
and thy Holy Spirit reign only.
Thy will be done.
O thou never-ending day,
when com’st thou, eternal sun, to stay?
Bring us everlasting peace,
city bright of joy and bliss.
From thee pure radiance streams
as one church, united, gleams.
Its brightness forever streams –
Glory to thee!
[Sannerz, 1926]
Midsummer’s Eve is a poem by Else von Hollander, one of the three founding members of the Bruderhof. Set to a melody by Beethoven shortly after it was written, it is still sung in our communities.
A Powerful Symbol
One of the most powerful symbols … was the fire we often gathered around at evening on a little rise above our house. To us, fire symbolized the burning up of the old and the desire for a new glow and new love. Standing around a bonfire in silent worship, we would watch the flames shoot upward toward the sky - and we sensed the bond between us and the eternal church above. The showering sparks rising heavenward meant that we must send messengers out into the dark world, to spread the message of the coming kingdom of God….
When the fire had burned down so that only a few little licking flames were left, one or the other of us - sometimes two at once, holding hands - would leap over the fire. That too was a symbol for us: it was an unspoken expression of giving oneself completely to the fire of Jesus. Then we would go home in silence... [New Meadow Run, 1973]
In A Powerful Symbol, Karl Keiderling, another member who experienced the earliest years of our communal life remembers its frequent evening gatherings around a bonfire.
Then we sang this song together. Even Karl-Gustav joined in! (Estonians always amaze me with their singing ability.)
1.Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire!
2.God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire!
3.'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight.
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire!
4.To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire!
O see us on thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day,
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire!
William Booth (1829-1912)
