Biography:
Talbot was born into a Methodist family with a musical background in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and started learning to play the guitar at an early age. At age 15 he dropped out of school and was performing as a guitarist for Mason Proffit, a country folk-rock band formed with his older brother Terry.
Talbot embarked on a spiritual journey that led him through Native American religion and Buddhism to Christianity. At this point he and his brother, Terry, joined the Jesus Movement, recording the album Reborn which was re-released by Sparrow Records (originally released as The Talbot Brothers on the Warner Brothers label).
Two solo albums followed for Talbot: John Michael Talbot (1976) and The New Earth (1977). Both of these were produced by Billy Ray Hearn.
Reading the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, he was inspired to begin studying at a Franciscan center in Indianapolis. He became a Roman Catholic and joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1978. He started a house of prayer, The Little Portion.
Talbot moved The Little Portion to Eureka Springs, Arkansas on land he had purchased during his Mason Proffit days. He founded his own community, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, at Little Portion Hermitage as an "integrated monastic community" with celibate brothers and sisters, singles, and families. By 1989, Talbot had married Viola Pratka (with the permission of the Catholic Church). Pratka was a former Incarnate Word Sister who had come to the community in 1986.
Per the community's General Constitutions, Talbot's title is "General Minister and Spiritual Father". For many years, he has promoted the work of Mercy Corps.
The hermitage suffered a fire in April 2008 in which the chapel, library and many common areas were destroyed.
On April 10, 2010 the Bishop of Little Rock, Anthony Taylor, dedicated the new buildings. On October 2, 2010 the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage celebrated the opening of the new monastery church and common center.
Living Flame Of Love
John Michael Talbot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
tenderly wound my soul,
to its deepest inner heart,
without oppression!
Come consumate our love,
tear through the veil of our union,
if it be your will, come and rend
Oh, lamps of fire,
in deep caverns of feeling,
once obscured and blind,
are now leading,
in the warmth and the passion,
of your love.
(x2)
Yet gently Your hand does wound,
as You rend through the veil of my temple,
come and take this life that I give,
so that I might come to live in this our dying.
Oh, Living Flame of Love,
tenderly wound my soul,
to its deepest inner heart,
without oppression!
The lyrics of John Michael Talbot's "Living Flame of Love" speak to surrendering oneself to a deep, all-consuming love. The living flame of love that he is referring to is the Holy Spirit, which has the power to penetrate one's innermost being without causing oppression. The singer is asking for this inner passion to take over completely and merge with him, leaving nothing behind. He pleads for the flame to tear through the veil of his union with God, allowing him to experience a closer relationship with the divine. If it is God's will, the veil of the temple should also be rent to enable the singer's full access to the divine.
The next verse of "Living Flame of Love" speaks of the transformative powers of love. The lamp of fire in the singer's heart, which was once obscured and blind, is now leading him in the warmth and passion of this deep love. However, the singer acknowledges that this passion is not without sacrifice. While the flame of love is consuming him and tearing through the veil of his temple, it is doing so gently. He surrenders his life to this love, knowing that he will come to live more fully even in the midst of dying.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Living Flame of Love, tenderly wound my soul, to its deepest inner heart, without oppression!
I invite your love to embrace me deeply, without causing any pain or harm to my being.
Come consumate our love, tear through the veil of our union, if it be your will, come and rend the veil of the temple!
If it is your will, let our love be made complete, removing all barriers that exist between us, even if it means tearing apart the holy temple.
Oh, lamps of fire, in deep caverns of feeling, once obscured and blind, are now leading, in the warmth and the passion, of your love. (x2)
My emotions were once hidden and unknown, but through your love, they have come alive and are now a guiding light in my life.
Yet gently Your hand does wound, as You rend through the veil of my temple, come and take this life that I give, so that I might come to live in this our dying.
Your love may cause some pain in my life, but I trust that as you remove the obstacles between us, I am giving my life to you, so that I may truly live.
Oh, Living Flame of Love, tenderly wound my soul, to its deepest inner heart, without oppression!
Once again, I cry out for your love to embrace me deeply, without causing any pain or harm to my being.
Contributed by Cooper T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.