Indivisble mediatrix living questions of theodicy among Great Dichotomies of head, heart, and womb

Holding conversations about young robins eaten alive by ravens, Kurds in the mud, crack babies, 50 inches of rain in Banglegesh, Ray, who has AIDS, the people and creatures of the rain forest, and my neighbors next door, the ones I don’t talk to

Yet, also some how paying attention to the Holy One, each time She comes into the circle of clay feet, wearing disguises and costumes, speaking with an unfamiliar accent to our very famiilar failures

Holding lightly the Sacred Onion, its roots coated with earth, thin skin covering the pungent, thick flesh containing food for new life, and bringing tears

Intimate with both the living and the dead, bound by felt memories, passions, dreams and questions

To follow those two roads, taking one to point, call, pray, cook, play, and write while she waits in the face of hopelessness, with hope for All to be well.

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This poem was written in 1991 as part of a completion course at the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University, (then The Institute for Theological Studies) for a Master of Divinity.

I post it here from the perspective of celebrating the 50 Year Reunion for the Class of 1969 at Seattle Pacific University, my undergradute studies. While I have no such poem from my undergraduate days, this poem allows me to reflect on some of what has unfolded from my many years of study and life. Thanks be to God.

The poem is placed within a set of symbols, each intended to take on the challenges of the poem:

The Schema Israel, “Hear, O Israel, our God is one,..” in Hebrew

John’s 1:14 , And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld [God’s] glory…” in Greek.

A large red onion….that I have used for 25 yrs + when teaching scripture, to indicate something alive, organic, growing in dirt, providing food, and causing tears

One of the Baptismal Promises from the Book of Common Prayer: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every living human being? I will with God’s help.

The opening line of the hymn, “Come down O love, divine, seek thou this [soul of mine] ….”

And Romans 8:38 For neither death nor life, not angels, nor rulres, nor things present, not things to come, nor powers…will be able to searate us from the Love of God…[in Christ Jesus our Lord.]