Our November 9 Second Saturday Conversation was post election. With our community in mind, I suggested we focus on two concerns that are common to Second Saturday Conversation. One, when we speak of God what are we talking about? What do we mean we say I love my God (Augustine)? A big question that has stood the test of time. The other question is what do we think of human beings? Who do we say that we are? How we respond to these two questions affects our sense of hopefulness or not as we move into this next year.
I think we are all concerned that “following the wrong god home we may miss our star.” (Thank you William Stafford, Oregonian and poet laureate.)
For our conversation I drew on Abraham Heschel who claims that it is not doubt that suppresses our ability to understand the meaning of God but our lack of wonder and radical amazement. And as far as being human, I called on Thomas Merton’s experience on 4th and Walnut in Louisville, at a shopping center. Do we see what he saw?
Answers are not required for Second Saturdays. Sometimes they even get in our way. But asking what we think is going on in the name of God and us seemed to be a place to meet following the election results. I hope our conversation is helpful. Carry it on in your own spheres.
See you December 14th for our next Second Saturday Conversation. We will be in the season of Advent. Which should be our season throughout the year.