The Village ILWIDIot

Walt Wiltschek 

“Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me.” —Psalm 23:4a, GNT 

Last month I indulged in a bit of nostalgia, going to see Paul Simon (the music icon, not the former Illinois senator) as he stopped in Chicago on his current tour—his first in seven years. His memorable album “Graceland” came out during my formative years, and, like many, I had come to appreciate his earlier classic songs, as well. I figured you only get so many chances to see a performance by a legend, especially one who’s now well into his 80’s. 

His Chicago show began with moving and sometimes haunting music from his new album, interestingly titled “Seven Psalms.” After an intermission, he then shifted into many of those famous tunes—“timeless,” as the show’s press release called them—from previous decades. His voice might not have quite the edge it once did, but it was still beautiful and powerful. 

One set of lyrics rattled around in my head long after the stirring show had ended and the waves of applause had finally faded: “Well, I’m on my way, I don’t know where I’m going.” The context of the original 1972 song doesn’t seem to be anything deeply philosophical, but that phrase struck me as rather fitting for our time. We’re headed somewhere, but where? 

More so than at most times, the world feels like it’s on the brink of spinning apart as one global crisis after another hits the headlines. Our own nation seems to be at the edge of some dangerous places. And the challenges of the church continue, with some deep issues coming to Annual Conference this summer and painful cutbacks necessary at our denominational offices. Anger is high. Pro athletes have been receiving death threats after a bad outing. A political blog I enjoy reading recently shut down for a time because of the volume of nasty emails and threats it was receiving. What have we become? 

I know on an intellectual level these periods of history happen, and eventually—sometimes with great difficulty and at great cost—humanity emerges from them. On an emotional and spiritual level, though, it can be hard to see that path. I’m reminded of the oft-used prayer from Thomas Merton: “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. … You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.” 

So that is my prayer for today, too. I don’t know where everything is going, but I keep moving forward as best I can, trusting that God will some way, somehow see us through to where we need to go. Blessings along the way.