A friend wrote “The sun came up,”
in spite of and in the face of bad

omens. And as the hymn proclaims,
“…though the wrong seems oft,

so strong…,” — “seems” being the
operative word and on Thanksgiving

the congregation sings, “Now thank
we all our God…,” and that’s not

just whistling in the dark or Dixie;
“It’s what we do,” as the president

and first lady are given to say in
a tone of affirmation in reference

to “going high.” We go high as Job
“went high” in spite of everything

to the contrary, we look up, we sing
beautiful songs, we hold hands, we

give hugs, we pass the peace, we
serve each other at the table as

the now ubiquitous Jesus served
the disciples on the beach and as

the omnipresent Jesus broke bread
with the two shell-shocked disciples,

and we say selah and “pause and
take that in,” and “amen” and

“that’s right” and “Preach it,
sister,” in the face of the wrong

that seems, oft, so strong —
“seems” being the operative word.