Walking With God in a Fragile World

Dew drops on a spider web, taken by Sister Nancy Bauer

"Walking with God in a Fragile World"

It's the title of the book I'm reading.

Great title...

But it's that "ing" word that catches me!

No doubt: We ARE in a fragile world
though the word "world" is too global a concept for me.

"World" is big, over THERE

where planes, drones, guns,
bloodshed, deceit, endless destruction
happen daily, moment by moment.

"World" is too far removed from me, HERE

where yellow-leafed trees surround me
and bouquets of golden mums,
food three times a day and coffee in between.

HERE, where I don't constantly worry about

my child out on the street or the horrible fear
in my gut when the telephone sounds...

HERE we have bathrooms, soap and water,

friends to meet our helplessness, and a
chapel to harbor our miniscule worries.

HERE, we have only begun to see and feel the effects

of climactic change.
We doubt that catastrophe
will ever overtake us...NO,
not here in America!

So, LORD, how can I walk in the fragile world...

"over there"
"down south"
"on the east coast"?

"By walking with Me..."

"There's that bothersome 'ing' word again...
something in progress, Webster suggests!

'But I'm beyond 80,' I tell myself; others can do it better, faster..."

Yet, deep within, I hear sounds of another voice:

"That's not enough!
You, my friend, are sufficient to the task too! Wake up!
Are you watching and praying? Not even for one hours?"

"Is that perhaps You, Lord, speaking to me? 'Yes' You say?

Then, help me with those 'ing' words."

Please! Let me never close my eyes to the terrors

of this fragile world
and its impending danger
even as I sit here, even here,
watching and waiting for You,
weeping over our 21st century Jerusalmen,
where millions of seemingly unimportant people die.

We are vulnerable, Lord...

wounded and wounding.

Please, have mercy on us. Please...Amen.

Renée Domeier, OSB