How Far is it to Gaza?

Then he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?" Mark 8. 11 - 21

As the headlines get worse and worse and the "dreadful signs of social collapse are imminent" in parts of our global community, can't you just hear these words of Jesus piercing our chaos..."do you not yet understand?" When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn?

In February of this year, I wrote about Bo Cox a friend of my mother's from times gone by, and by the miracles of technology I have been reacquainted with him. As I said in February, Bo was a former Forward Day by Day writer writing from his prison cell while serving a life sentence for murder. Bo was released from prison in 2003 and lives today with his wife Debb in Norman, Oklahoma.

Bo sent me this brilliant poem/reflection recently and said I could share it with you. I am hoping he will be doing this every so often and that we can begin conversations about our pilgrims' journeys and what we can learn from each other.

John 11:35

80 Miles as the Crow Flies

Or

Jesus Opened His Eyes

After He woke up in his hometown one morning,

Wondering,

"How far is it to Gaza?"

Siri, feeling her roots, barked at him.

"Sir, it's 80 miles

From Nazareth to Gaza

But it might as well be a million, Jesus,

Because you can't get in.

They've revoked your visa.

Your passport's expired.

Hell, I can't even get you a three-day work permit!"

"So are you talking 80 miles

As the crow flies?"

Jesus asked.

"Because I went skiing in Taos back in '45,

On my way from protesting in Los Alamos, but I had to hitch hike and, boy, if it's THAT kind of 80 miles, I'm calling Uber."

"Or, three years later, when my feet bled, walking the 80 miles from Jerusalem to Beersheba," Jesus was starting to look around, like maybe Siri had been hacked.

"You know, the Nakba?"

Siri took her toe

Out of her binary shoe, stuck it in the hot sand,

Asked Jesus to check all the boxes that contained crosswalks

But before her toe drew that line again her voice got soft.

Jesus stepped closer...

She pushed him off...

and hissed,

"Check your wickapedia."

"Says they still still think I'm God Incarnate," Jesus sighed.

"ChatGPT,"

Was a scream.

Jesus' smile was wry

And he had to fidget

To keep from asking why

But he knew he was getting somewhere, so he stood up,

Yeah, took a sip, yeah,

From his his own cup,

from his own cup,

(Then he took another sip

Of iced tea

From the council of Nicaea

And was never the same.)

"This one says what I want it to so are you tellin' me it's all made up?"

Siri blinked.

Then winked.

Jesus knew then

That Siri had been

Weaponized.

"Sir, all the crows are dead,

Would an armed drone suffice?"

Jesus was stunnned.

Siri had to ask twice.

"How about a dove?

You used to like those."

"We could paint one

Dove-colored, since

Peace died last week."

"Peace died?"

Jesus whispered.

A tear slid down his cheek.