There’s water in everything
and everything is in water—
except fire.
Fire changes water completely:
too much fire makes steam,
which returns
back to water as it cools;
and too little fire makes ice,
which melts.

We are all steam engines:
mostly water, with a fire
in our bellies
making us do more or less
based on temperature
and control.
We can be hard to keep
stoked up and fed with
enough coal.

Jesus didn’t come to cleanse
the world with fire, but was
cleansed with water,
so that all the water could
be cleansed and be cleansing
all of us;
because this purifying fire
makes the water truly water,
and makes us burn.

Leave a Reply

Conciliar Post

Conciliar Post is an online community and archive devoted to thoughtful Christian reflection. Since its founding, the site has published theological conversations, reflections on Christianity, reviews, and commentary on culture and current events from a Christian perspective.

Top Posts

The Old Testament in OrderDecember 13, 2024Jacob Prahlow
The New Testament in OrderApril 14, 2021Jacob Prahlow
The Phoebe ProblemFebruary 16, 2022Jacob Prahlow
A Brief History of Communion (Part I)February 14, 2017Jacob Prahlow