Blessed Holy Wholeness,
How can I sing Avinu Malkeinu?
How can I use this limited name for God?
I don’t do kings
Or queens,
No vertical hierarchies.
Verticality creates the problems, it doesn’t fix them.
I don’t do fathers
Or mothers,
No parental substitutes.
Parents love you but they really do mess you up.
I don’t do tribal gods
Or protective angels
I like my myths to stay fictional.
Supernatural intervention fantasies lead to passive magical thinking.
I don’t do male eternal mysteries
Or female avatars.
A gendered God is illogical.
Besides, ineffable spirits may feel good but can they save the planet??
I respect random chance
And don’t want to indulge in wishful thinking
But, rationality just isn’t much fun.
(Nevertheless, I hold atheism in reserve so I don’t look stupid.)
It does feel good to consider God’s surrounding presence
And everyone’s shared divinity.
I pray to holy wholeness
With a knowingness that I cannot explain away.
Hmmmm.
HaShleimut,
When I sing with the congregation
On the Holy Days
For redemption and second chances
For me and the world,
I think I will sing,
Avinu Malkeinu,
Our Father Our King,
The way it’s written.
It’s a lovely tune and I’m used to it.
Sue me.
But,
Since every metaphor leads to One-ness,
I think I will then pray
To
All Of The Above.
Amen
