UNDERSTAND

Dear All Of Us,

How do you understand
evil and pain?

The kind that happens when 
a thirteen year old girl 
trying to escape 
the horrors and violence
in El Salvador 
is gang raped into pregnancy.

The kind that happens 
when tornados and earthquakes devastate.

The kind that happens when 
a gentle old lady writhes in pain
on her death bed.

The kind that happens when 
a teenage boy is told 
he is not welcome in a church 
because he is gay.

The kind that happens as 
this planet is plundered and polluted into peril.

The kind that happens 
when no matter how hard you work
you just can't support your family.

The kind that happens when 
your spouse gives 
body and preference
to another.

The kind that happens when
media and political people
spew hate talk and lies 
that polarize and fracture.


The kind that happens when 
anxiety and depression
force a person into 
a hell hole of dark despair.


How do you understand
evil and pain?


That's what I puzzle,
what I try to understand,
but I just can't.


Paradoxically this 
plays off against 
what I do and 
don't understand 
about God.


Please stay tuned!!


I do understand 
that none of us 
can ever or even come close
to figuring out the fullness,
The Love Mystery, 
Who is God.
But happily 
I do realize that
what we can't intellectually understand 
we can deeply experience.
It's like a baby 
being greatly loved
by its mother.
Not much rational understanding involved, 
but what an incorporation and experience it is.
By comparison, though we don't intellectually understand 
all that much about God, 
we sure can accept the experience 
of immersion and enfoldment
in God and in God's beautiful, 
cosmic, evolving creation.



I understand that God,
the Energy of All That Is,
is incarnate in creation,
Being Itself holding all in being :
    people, place, spirit,
    elements, occurrence 
         -embryonic life to an
              Olympic gold medalist,
         -a Spring sprout 
              to Shakespeare,
        -specks of matter 
              to mighty mountains.



I don't understand how,
but I do understand so.



What I don't understand is this.
Given God's goodness, 
how is it that 
evil and pain
plague us 
and all creation?

Yes indeed, and for sure,
that's a question as old as 
the first mosquito bite and 
Cain's murder 
of his brother Abel.



I just can't figure out
the mix of good and evil,
the mix of God, creation, 
chaos, delight and pain -
 can't figure it out 
but sure do experience it
as does all creation.



I don't understand how,
but I do understand so.



In no way am I alone
with this inability. 
It's a universal puzzlement.
And that's important 
to know as we try 
to live our spiritual lives
in good times and bad times,
with things understandable
and not at all so,
out here on 
the street of everyday 
occurrence and experience.
There's more mystery than not.
To experience it is one thing,
to attempt to fathom 
it is quite another. 



All kinds of think sorts
over the span 
of human experience 
have had a try 
at explaining
the mystery 
of good and evil.
Sure, some  have
come up with 
helpful insights,
but no one nails it,
no one can figure it out.


Creation is evolving.
That's beautiful
and good.
But it still hurts 
to birth a baby.
        
      WHY?


In our spiritual lives
many of us are trying 
to accept the life invite 
of Jesus become The Christ.
That very Jesus experienced 
all sorts of good and evil
in his day and way,
just as we do in ours.


Our spiritual lives 
are a living out of this
Jesus become The Christ,
and of God's evolving creation,
and both in our way and place.
We experience 
good and evil
as we grow, 
groan and glow
with all into All.



I don't understand how, 
but I do understand so.



In our meditation and prayer 
as we ponder all this, 
more in our heart than in our head,
we are steadied and assured by
The Spirit:  

       I consider that the sufferings 
       of this present time 
       are not worth comparing 
       with the glory about 
       to be revealed to us...
       for creation was subjected 
       to futility...in hope that 
       the creation itself will be 
       set free from 
       the bondage to decay...
       We know that 
       the whole creation 
       has been groaning 
       in labor pains until now...
       We know that all things 
       work together for good
       for those who love God, 
       and are called
       according to his purpose.
  
       Portions of Romans 8: 8, 20 ,21, 22

                          *****

         Then I saw a new heaven
         and a new earth...
         (God) will wipe away every tear
         from their eyes.
         Death will be no more,
         mourning and crying and pain
         will be no more,
         for the first things 
         have passed away
         "See, I am making all things new.

          Portions of Revelation 21: 1, 4, 5

                           *****



We actually understand 
just a bit
of the mystery of 
good and evil 
as we grow into ALL,
and yet into ALL 
we do grow!



I don't understand how,
but I do understand so.



Right after I die, when God 
and I have had our hugs 
and settled into some
good wine and cheese,
I'm going to lead off with
"So, why mosquitos?"


Thanks for your good company.
God loves you and so do I !!

            John Frank

                 *****

Each week new folks join us here
and it is great to have your company!!
             Welcome!!

                  ******

Please keep sharing "frankly speaking"
with friends and colleagues.
It's the main way we connect with
new folks as we gather here each week.

                    *****


               "frankly speaking"
           spirituality for the street

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           See you all next week!!!!

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