On the Edge

It's super bowl Sunday; they say it's an unofficial national holiday.  Sometimes I wonder if it's considered more important than Christmas.  Too be a bit extreme, I wonder if comparing a couple teams of big men knocking each other to the ground over or paying thousands of dollars to watch that to a poor man who taught us to love each other, to be non-violent and whose memory and lessons continue to inspire and affect the entire world after 2000 years.

Yet, the wisdom of our current catholic pope saw the virtues of this day: to come together in unity to enjoy ourselves, to be positive; to respect rules and work together.  He helped me to make the connection between something I cherish and something I accept.

At church a mother of a young man, probably just shy of 30 years old, asked if I might visit with him about his questions concerned the reason for life and how God fits into the picture.  He is very close to family who lost a son a dozen years ago to cancer.  Now the dead boy's sister, just over 20 years old, is fighting cancer and not doing well.  So where is God in this scenario?

The super bowl pre-show included a clip of Johnny Cash's "Old Ragged Flag."  It speaks to respecting the flag that has been through many wars.  The men and women that have worked and fought so hard to keep America free both in war and peace, I respect them highly, to the point that I tear-up when I think about it.  However, I don't agree with pledging alliance to a piece of cloth, despite its symbolism, instead pledging alliance to the principles that form this country and society.

A blog I follow recently spoke of an open mind and how after listening openly one can close the mind on an idea judged to be best.  I'd be a hypocrite to say that my mind is more open than that because saying that means I have closed my mind.  Despite being raised in Christian doctrine that didn't leave much room for questions, I think I have more questions than ever including the role of Jesus and the nature of God.

Just about everything seems to sit on a razor thin edge where one could go one way or another.  So what do I know or believe.  I believe that I should first and foremost benefit other people and most issues will stay on the edge as questions that are secondary to what's most important.

I hope that if I fall off the edge on one side or the other I can climb back up to see what on the other side.  And you know even when I question God I inherently accept the God's existence because I'm asking God about God's existence.  Confusing isn't it.  That's living on the edge.