Trust and tongues of fire...

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.--Acts 2:3 (RSV)

Isn't it interesting that the tongues of fire are always depicted as landing on the disciples' heads? And yet the verse in Acts doesn't actually say that. It simply says that they "rested on each of them."

I wonder if the tongues of fire actually rested on the part of each disciple that most needed to be purified? For some it might have been their mouths. For others, their eyes. For others, their hands. The Blessed Mother, with no need to be purified, would have simply received the Holy Spirit unimpeded into her body, soul, and spirit, from which it would have flashed out from within her to all those around her.

For me, the fire would definitely have landed on my head! So many of my battles are mental battles, and the trustful surrender of the future to the Lord is no exception. The old ruts need to be reworked, but so often I don't even realize that my mind has fallen into an old rut until my emotions are engaged, which makes it that much more difficult to break free mentally.

Holy Spirit, please, in Your mercy, send Your purifying fire into my mind. Help me to recognize the times when my mind goes into a rut by sending Your fire to alert me. Give me the grace to surrender the future, whatever it may be, to the flames, and grow in trust of You. Amen.