Flame pins

Ah, memories.  Pentecost memories.  We devised the making of flame pins as a way of making sure everyone was included in wearing red on Pentecost, whether they remembered that morning, or not.  It never occurred to us that it would devolve into an argument about the proper way to wear them.  We even had people who split the difference and wore them sideways.  Usually it ended up all in good fun, and those who were so sure there was one proper way were often enlightened as to other possibilities.  Other possibilities... What a concept!

We used to make flame pins

Every Pentecost:

Red and yellow and orange ribbons

Folded together

Glued with a glue gun,

A straight pin to attach it.

Then came the argument,

Every year

Deeply theological.

Were they worn with the flames

Faced up

Or

Faced down?

Deeply theological.

Was the fire in our hearts already

Or did it pour down on our head and hearts and shoulders

From above?

Tongues of fire.

I had my own opinion.

As priest you would think

It would matter.

It didn*t.

We had the same theological discussion

Every year.