Presence through absence

Interior of Katarina Church in Stockholm;
after Taizé Meeting for Young Adults, May 5, 2007

”In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” John 16:16.

Katarzyna, my young guest from Poland, left this morning for her home in Lublin, via Warsaw. She left me with a carved wooden box and a promise to send some of the photos she took during her stay. Katarina Church appeared to be in flames while she was here – not like in 1723 or 1990 when the church literally burned up and down – but as it was just a few days ago in the presence of Taizé brothers and young adults from all over Europe. Fire is one of four basic elements. ”They kept asking: What does He mean by ’a little while’? We don’t understand.” John 16:18.

We watched and listened to the tongues fueled by wisdom. We saw the flames lick the walls and leap to the ceiling of the cupola. We envisioned then how each and every breath is capable of transforming stained cloths into sails, and of filling them until they are taut enough to propel this vessel on a new course. Fire is one of four basic elements.

The new Katarina Church is restituted – resurrected – after the old. The permanent new altar-piece installed after the fire in 1990, called "Närvaro genom frånvaro" [presence through absence], was gradually relieved of some of its weight and bestowed with new meaning. It depicts a shroud that is being unravelled, drawn, and winged – in the direction of the full sails that were created especially for the Taizé meeting – by a cross and a crown of thorns. Into the air, out to sea, down to earth.