June 8 5th Day of the Last Sabbatical

U and Thou

It’s too bad we stopped saying “thee” and “thou” in ordinary usage. The lack of a distinct first-person singular deprives us of a means of intimacy, a threshold to mark the passage from acquaintance to friendship, and from mere politeness to personal trust. Its absence from everyday conversation spoils its use for religious purposes as well. If the only time we say “Thee” is in prayer, it loses currency and distorts meaning. Instead of signaling increased intimacy, it increases distance.
I am often at a loss as to how to address my prayers. “Lord…” is a patriarchal term with archaic political overtones. Bewigged Englishmen with no meaningful power? Doesn’t work for me… .
A monk once told me that his prayer life consisted of simply this: whenever I would normally think of “it,” I think of “you” instead.
So there are no objects in the world, only sacraments? Hmmm…

JOURNAL ENTRY.

March 10, 2004. In deep silence I hurt, mourn, and behold all the tiny sadnesses, the episodes of loss and regret. I grieve over the vast distances that separate us, even as we cling to each other with great tenderness.
My anger, fear, and dread exist across a void, a vast distance from you, God. From U, God.
Uternal.
Upernatural.
Ulmighty.
Uly One of Israel.
U only are immortal, the maker and redeemer of mankind, and we are mortal, formed of the earth. For so did U ordain…
Even at the grave we make our song: Ulleluia, Ullelulu, Ulleluyu.

U reach, flow, seep across the abyss to touch me- heart and head.
U. Nancy; Caitlin; all the kids; all the people. All U.
I offer my isolation, pain, and fear to U.
U are in it and through it and beyond it.
Umen.