Safe in Israel

         I have been reading Peter Maurin, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement.  He wrote most of his work in poems which have become known as his, "Easy Essays."  They are basically small essays written as poems.  They have been resonating with me.  Here is a favorite:

Specialization

A few years ago,

I asked a college professor

to give me

the formulation

of those universal concepts

embodied

in the universal message

of universal universities

that will enable

the common man

to create

a universal economy.

And I was told

by the college professor:

"That is not my subject."

Colleges and universities 

give to the students

plenty of facts

but very little understanding.

They turn out specialists

knowing more and more

about less and less.

   I'm hoping to receive many facts this semester, but also much understanding.  

   I wrote an easy essay about my first visit to the Western (or wailing) Wall, a holy site for Jews and others. Our group has toured the old city of Jerusalem a few times since being here and the poem embodies some of my thought processing:

A Westerner at the Western Wall 

“Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,

exulting in his deliverance. All my bones shall say,

‘O Lord, who is like you?’”  Psalms 35:9-10

A Jewish man prays 

with all his bones.

He swings 

back 

and forth,

at the hips,

back 

and forth,

while reading 

very loudly

from a book,

uttering something 

unintelligible. 

A charismatic Christian worships 

with all his bones.

He swings 

back 

and forth,

at the hips,

back 

and forth.

He reads

from a book,

sings

very loudly,

and utters something

unintelligible.

Does God hear

them both?

Here is a video of Jews praying at the Western Wall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsX5t_wYoYM

      My time in Israel has been great so far.  Everyone in my group is interesting and I'm sure there is much in store for us all in the months ahead.  Keeps us in your prayers.