‘Cry, cry, cry, thou upsurging depths, what distant terrors your vast threatenings hold. Come forth for what you are. Turn, burn and bleed. Resist no more and live.’ Journal January 1st 1965.
In ‘Wisdom, Prophecy and Prayer’ 2014, Chapter 58 of Century 3 takes up this word, received well over fifty years ago. Turning is purification that consumes confusion and dissolves division in the inmost heart. Burning is illumination that refines opacity of heart into pure translucency. Bleeding is glorification that wounds the heart with piercing love, unveiling love’s glory as Christ’s blood in our blood, his life in our life. Wisdom turns so burning purifies the heart to see. Prophecy says, ‘Resist no more and live.’ Prayer turns and burns and bleeds (WPP 2014 page 265).
The heart burns because uncreated light is experienced as purifying fire when it meets our fallen states of self-centred insensitivity to God. The heart turns and burns before it experiences grace as uncreated light. The heart bleeds when it is transfixed by the uncreated cross of unselfish love and in the midst of excruciating suffering ascribes all glory to God. Glory comes to meet glory when God glorifies those who are poured out in self-emptying love. Glory is what glorifies the saints whose hearts turn, burn and bleed. Glorification bleeds when turning burns.