When I watch the world's strife on the television screen I long for the days of flaming fire pans and budding branches…of revealed answers. Like with Korach. An argument arose, Korach's clan pitted against Moses and Aaron. Each side made its claim to leadership. And how simply God set the matter straight by accepting Aaron's fire offering, by making Aaron's staff bud green, by swallowing up the 'bad guy' into the pit of earth. I long for a God with such communication skills! I long for a God who expresses clearly what S/He means. But we do not have such signs today. And so what is God communicating in His incommunicado? I am reminded of the story of the Rabbi who explained how there is a place for even atheism in the world. When pressed by his perplexed students as to how this could be, he answered, 'You must be an atheist when a person comes to you asking for assistance. Lest you answer, 'God will help you.' At that moment there is no saving God who is responsible for your friend; rather it is you alone who are called to help.' No Budding Branches Why are there no more budding branches? No revelations No flagrant answers? No fire pans flamed By fuel of God? No loom laced by Grace? No Force unflawed? Just string, swinging slack without meaning? Is there now nothing Where once there was Being? Is there now hollow Where once hallowed stood? And if so, then why, when, and for, pray tell, what good? For who will feed the famished and who the houseless home? If there is no God to nod To grant, to give, to loan But rather let us beat the flaming fire pans Into a tool to service man To instruments for healing wounds To stay the plague To light the gloom Take your censors To censor self Improve the planet Increase global health If God be hidden Then let God's deeds Be done by man To fill world's needs Let''s cease our strife Let compassion live Perhaps God let God die That we may Be the ones to Give
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)