A great fire was once cast upon the earth and all its inhabitants. Fire, as we know, requires three things to exist: fuel, oxygen, and a spark. I am part of its ongoing fuel, especially when I seem to have no clue I am being so. I live and breathe this fire’s oxygen – the mentality, attitudes, and values of my culture, influenced and promoted by all the cultures of man, past and present.

The very first and very small spark which ignited this fire was spoken by an alien, a stranger in the Garden: “Did God say … hmmm … I’m afraid that I must inform you … God was mistaken my child.”

For some unknown reason, my first mother, who was surrounded in every way with Beauty and Fullness and Warmth and Light, stopped and pondered this spark. It was quite interesting to her. She found a certain kind of logic, a certain kind of distorted beauty in its subtlety. She soon chose to believe the anti-promise which the alien had proceeded to tell her once he had her attention, though of course he could in no way fulfil this promise for her.

As she continued to think about it, a great and terrible dark cloud began to drift slowly down into her mind and heart. It blinded my dear mother’s heart. She ate this spark of darkness, and shared it with her husband. And “they were cast out.” They wept without consolation.

And so was I – cast out. And so were all her dear children. I too ate. I too became blind. I too became fuel. I too learned how to breathe the dark smoke from the fire. I too agreed with the alien’s “logic,” and became deeply fascinated with its ugly beauty.

Check that. A deep wound in me still agrees with the alien’s logic. I am still, all too often, fascinated with the alien’s illusions shouted and shown to me daily by my fellow humans breathing the same smoke I breathe. I still provide fuel for the alien’s sparks.

What, O Wondrous Creator of all that exists: Who can rescue me from this earthly fire and its consumer logic and endless parade of pretentious images painted with tainted oils and perfumes?

Only another river can rescue me. Not of water, nor foam, nor earthly chemicals. A Blessed River of Fire, far greater and broader than any alien’s fire of destruction.

This Mystery – Fire destroying fire – was in my Creator’s mind even before all the ages existed. It is the Fire of Divine Love, of Divine Goodness, Purity and Beauty. It is the in-fleshed Fire of Divine Truth, flowing over and around and through and above all alien smoke and illusion.

But fire of any kind is terrible and frightening and confusing to our hearts. “Of course,” whispers the alien. “God’s Fire has only one purpose, one goal – to punish and destroy you. You and all your kind greatly offended Him.”

Hmmmm … that’s not what another glorious being said to my young, and soon to become, 2^nd Mother. “Rejoice, O full of grace. The Lord of all, and His Wondrous River of Fire, is with you. Is for you in every way imaginable. Will you allow His healing Fire to be born in you this day?”

And with simplicity and humility of heart, and not needing to know how and why this could be true, my truest mother, Blessed Mary, said Yes… for herself, and for me, and for all people of the earth, in all times and all places who had ever fueled and been destroyed by the alien’s fire. “Yes, let this be done unto me” and to all generations.

It is true, you know – no one can touch or enter any fire, earthly or divine, and not be wounded. No one can not feel that pain, can not struggle in myriads of ways to escape the very sure death that the River of Fire will bring upon the children of father Adam and mother Eve, if they choose to enter it each and every day.

But, O wondrous and life-creating Mystery – this death will not kill us. We shall surely not die in this Fire. Only every alien and enslaving lie and illusion and urge sparked by the evil one will die in this Fire. When we, in fear and trembling, draw near and eat of this Bread and drink of this Wine, and “partake of the Fire, though I am dry grass,” we shall live and be healed forever in a Garden of Delights which “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it ever entered into the heart of man.”

“O truly and only One Who is Goodness, and Truth, and eternal Beauty above all imaginings of my heart, I believe – I truly believe. But help Thou my unbelief and heal me in Your Divine Fire, until we see You face to face … forever and ever, unto the ages of ages … Amen.”