Thursday, Indianapolis, Indiana

Since he is such a famous person and political icon, the news that Senator Edward Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor has predictably dominated the media for the past two days. It must be a painful irony for those other patients around the country who got the same grim news from their physicians but without a cable news announcement and sympathy from the world.

But when a celebrity encounters the cold reality of human frailty there is a reminder that, as the Bible says, “God sends the rain on the just and the unjust.” Living between the consciousness of our vulnerability on this finite journey and the determination to make the hours, days and years count is the essential balance for living a blessed life.

Whatever life has dished out to you - blessings or suffering - making meaning of it is especially difficult when we look around and observe others who are having a life of excessive bounty and gaudy prosperity. One of my professors in Seminary, Dr. Phyllis Trible wrote a book whose title captures the challenge: “God’s Fierce Whimsy!”

Amen!

Everything I have read testifies to the integrity of Senator Kennedy as a legislator. Even if you were passionately opposed to his point of view, Kennedy is respected by his political and ideological opponents as willing to work in bipartisan cooperation to enact legislation. Today’s reaction to the bad news by his Republican colleagues was as heartfelt as that of his supporters. Prayers for Ted Kennedy and everyone he represents today who also received terrifying news about their health and well being.