We gathered, in a circle in the Parlor of the church gathering to study your word, the message in the lectionary, the lectionaries of the three passages the three segments of the story of Job, a righteous man tested, revealed by God, in the testing We read the words of your Word, feeling the power the meaning in the framing of the question, the pithy retorts, rebukes from God by his arrogance, presumption of parity the weight of his argument, like soap bubbles or gossamer burst by the breath of God Finding parallels in acts of violence, acts of hatred in our own world, far too close to home where we no longer feel truly safe, exposed pain stripping bare the facade, the charade of safety Setting our feet on thatched grass, riding over quicksand hoping our weight doesn’t sink us in the mud knowing only that we don’t understand can’t grasp the meaning of the moment; hoping it will be clear in time