Borders

from Oct 17, 2010

Borders are such an immaterial thing. Growing up borders where such a mystery and an excitement. In the smack-dab-middle of Oklahoma, a Texas plate was exciting, God forbid we see one from Florida or Washington. Borders were something you crossed on roadtrips or something else. But those are still just state borders. Country borders have nothing near them. They are desolate, alone, and no one would dare walk across one. Yet, I come to Tucson, 60 miles from the border. About a 3 days walk. That is it. And people live right up on the border. An Native American's tribal land goes straight across it. And unlike state borders, there is a wall on a lot of the US/Mexico border that tells you exactly where it is. I think a lot about the ease we cross the Nebraska/Iowa border. There is a bridge where you can walk, run, bike, whatever across the border. No one is going to stop me in Iowa and ask for papers. I go to school in a different state than in which I live. Yet, my Oklahoma I.D. is perfectly fine. Borders are fragile things, made by human beings. Yet, we are still all humans, and that never ends.

Quick Thought

I wrote a couple of weeks age about my struggle with the passage from Job made famous by the praise and worship song "Blessed Be the Name." Then on October 24, 2010, the Psalm response for Mass was

The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the Lord.

I have been struggling with this. With what I have just experienced (in my immersion trip, by visiting with my Hospice companion every week, etc.) it is easy to think that the Lord does not hear the cry of the poor.  But, maybe the Lord does hear the cry of the poor. Maye He calls people like me to answer and alleviate the cry whenever, wherever, and however we are needed. I think it is important for me and for humanity to stand up for this call: to hear the cry of the poor.

Blessed Be the Name

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

I keep hearing this song everywhere, at Praise and Worship, on the radio, popping at random times in my head. This

song comes from the Book of Job.  Job tells the story of a man who lived in the land of Uz (Job). He was blessed by the Lord and had many things: children, camels, oxen etc. He was God-fearing and avoided evil. He was a good guy. One day, Satan came before the Lord. God said, "Have you seen Job? He is pretty awesome and no one is like him!" Satan says, "He is surrounded by blessings. If he was suffering, he would not be blessing your name." Then God allows Satan to control all of the things Job has been blessed with. In the end, everything is taken away from Job. After these things have happened, Job says "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. blessed be the name of the Lord!" (Job 1:21). This class I am taking on suffering is really testing what I have believed my whole life, and I am struggling to come to terms with suffering and Divine providence. We haven't talked about natural suffering (earthquakes, tornadoes, etc.), but we have talked about suffering by human free choice. I am accept that humanity has fallen and we the choices we make can hurt others. But were we created like this? The professor of my class takes up the stance that suffering was even necessary to be elevated into the Beatific Vision. Through a really complicated process, we saw how he has come to this conclusion. But where I am struggling is, is suffering necessary? If humanity had never sinned, and we remained in our state of original grace, would we be elevated to the Beatific Vision? If we do have to suffer, how could our loving God create a world like this? I can bless the name of the Lord when life is going well, and I can even bless the name of the Lord when there is suffering because of our world, but can I bless his name when suffering is necessary for my salvation? I think a lot of my confusion is over this class, and my dealing with a very difficult topic to wrestle with. But, how can God willingly allow Satan to harm a child of his, a child who trusts him so completely?