THEOLOGY 101
Lying on my hospital bed,
Unable much to move,
I twist and turn, roll and pitch,
All to relieve the torment
Of the Almighty God-sent ITCH!
“A theological perspective,” you say,
“In a moment of doggerel twitch?”
Indeed, if all things come from God,
Then so does the god-damm ITCH,
Considered thus his heavenly prod
Or a needed schoolboy’s switch.
Alas, I confess to a lesson well learned—
I’m a creature mired in sin;
But God persists in sending the ITCH
To torment my sinful sinful flesh, my external skin,
As if I had deep depths to see,
Having only scratched the surface.
Saint Augustine’s burning heart; an image from Rene Magritte (? According to my iPad). I should also reveal that I am rereading Augustine’s marvelous Confessions for a 5 session online course on the work. The course started last Wednesday (1/5) and is good. It’s sponsored by The Catholic Thing and, I believe The Faith and Reason Institute; the teacher, lecturer, is Robert Royal. No tests or papers. Ha! I love the image of Augustine used for the course, as well as the text, Frank Sheed’s translation with an excellent introduction by Augustine biographer, Peter Brown, and extensive notes by Michael Foley. The book is lovely with an excellent translation: new paperback = $14+ dollars from Amazon.
I like to think I’m getting the new year off to a good start. I even got the wound vac removed today though I am still unable to walk or get into the wheelchair. But I am determined to make it as long as I keep breathing, even with the plague of itches. Even the Egyptians would have capitulated quicker if they had been sent a plague of itches.
Sorry about the verses.
