To the End of Reckoning

“Truth is truth to the end of reckoning. ”

― William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

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Dear Kate,

What if there really is a God, as in how most of us would conceive one, of genuine Justice, everlasting Beauty, perfect Wisdom, and--everyone close your eyes and breathe this out together: True Love?

What if Justice, Beauty, Wisdom and Love, all in one, is to prevail and rule us all?  What would this world look like?

A seeker of genuine justice would say: We might as well starting lining up for our judgement, the comeuppance we deserve, for everything we have done and failed to do, a death sentence one and all, once and for all.  Anything less would be less than genuinely just.

A seeker of everlasting beauty would say: How about the withering flowers, the fallen petals, is their past beauty forgotten for their being ugly now, dead tomorrow?  A flower that doesn't wither, would we get so used to it and finally forget about Beauty?  My eyes are failing, my shut-eye speaking Death, what is "out there" I can wish, even trust, what is inside I can't deny: my beauty dies with me.

A seeker of perfect wisdom would say: Can we handle the Truth, in all her truthfulness?  Much of what we do in life and how we do it banks on us being smart about circumventing ideals and principles and insights of transcending, final significance.  How are we going to live in and with the short-sightedness and small-mindedness of our here and now and still flourish, if true Wisdom is to call us out in our every act and every thought, for our conspiracy to stay stupid?

A seeker of true love has nothing to say: she has given up a long time ago.

What if the kingdom rule of Jesus is to prevail in our here and now? that's the Christian question.  I wonder if Christians would ever question back like true seekers would, to confess about our death-seeking ways, acknowledge our need to die to them, or would we want to nail Jesus on the cross all over again to conceal our untruthfulness, disloyalty, and betrayal of Justice, Beauty, Wisdom and Love?

Would Jesus bring us more "affordable housing," as some would ask Him to?  Maybe.  To house what? is the real Christian question.  One could be stuck in a house perfectly affordable with only herself and no one else, for ever and with no way out--a good definition of Hell.

Would Jesus bring us more bike lanes, as others would want Him to?  Maybe.  As a path to what? is the real Christian question.  Streets with no names, politically and perpetually correct in how we travel up and down the gravel roads?

"Unfit to live or die. O, gravel heart!" A creature unprepared, unmeet for death, we all are.

Yours, Alex