On Pendulums and Rocking Horses History Is Made
While racing on the rocking horse of youth
Going nowhere closer to the sun or faster there
When swinging pendulums from Democrat to Republican
Age picks up the pace, in speed it keeps us in our place
Remains the same with nothing more than impressions on a carpet
Really, there's no distance covered on the new republic as no one cares
And when the rocker and pendulum stop in mid air
Dust settles at the bottom as ash on ash to gather us
Into one party to call “all in with my candidate” with all your soul
Dropped with a ballot but will that ever be enough
How far did we expect to go on wooden horses
Saddled up with straw men about to burn in vanity if not in hell
Authors note: This piece was inspired by Brad Minor, a writer in “A Catholic Thing” writing on our modern politics.
Qoheleth, (son of Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes) his perspective on life, which anticipates by half a millennium many of Christ’s words.
In Chapter 3 – the one that begins “For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven” – he writes, “I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.” Do we really think anything has changed?
But is Qoheleth’s pessimism a sound guide to politics? Yes. Mine wouldn’t be, but his is. It is because the vanity he laments (and which we see today in abundance) is proof of his theme throughout:
12:6 Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the pulley is broken at the well,
7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!
Amen.
Copyright © Earl Schumacker | Year Posted 2020
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