THE SCHOLARS JOURNAL

Transcription

1 THE SCHOLARS JOURNAL 2018 October Edition The Aquinas Scholars Honors Program Editor Valerie Brukhis

2 O C T O B E R E D I T I O N The Scholars Journal UPCOMING EVENTS * November 4 Habitat for Humanity 10 Buca di Beppo 20 Crafty Friendsgiving 21 Nov. Journal Submission Deadline December 1 Christmas Cards for Veterans 8 Holidazzle and Christmas Market 18 Study Monday Finals Feed Finals Study Oasis 21 Dec. Journal Submission Deadline *Events list is subject to changes and additions. Please look to updates for most current information as well as details on points and time. Page 1

3 Hearts Hap Hausman 1 Where is my heart? Is it beating blood through chest Or on the desk, right where I left it? Or is it in the Scottish Highlands, A place I ve never been But am longing to see? Did I leave it with someone That I used to love And forget to take it back? Or was it stolen: Is it now racing In the hands of someone I now know? Maybe it s at rest With someone I ve yet to meet, Or maybe with no one at all. 2 Was it ever mine at all, Or does it belong to God? I don t know. 3 Do I have a heart? A heart of darkness? One which feels safe From the ones who say I want you, but I don t, Who say, I might love you some day, But not now. Those who say I will always be your friend. 4 Or is my heart light? Am I unafraid To let everyone see inside my chest? Unafraid of the person Who stole it from me But then gave it back? Am I not the one who let them say I want you, but I don t, I might love you, but not now, And, We ll always be friends, Without a hint of regret? Is there not hope That I will become a better writer, A better person, Someone who is loved, If I just let people in? 5 My heart is a paradox: It s a raging magnesium fire Burning under a bushel basket I hide, but beg to uncovered. Whoever you are My heart is with you. Those ones most of all Page 2

4 Unbreakable Fragility Amanda Gilbertson The pen beckons to me like the sun to all things green and capable of growth. I find myself tenderly aware of the beauty of reality. There s a freshness with my every breath, a tranquility in the beating of my heart, a pensive smile on my face, the mere idea of delicate crystal tears in my eyes. I feel that I am cradling something fragile in my small yet powerful hands something whose very preciousness is caused by its fragility. It is beautiful, but not beauty because beauty is more robust. This precious, fragile something is the substance of human emotion an ocean of ever-rippling waves, the movement of each intimately tied to the movement of every other. All is connected, interwoven. Layer after layer of meaning and reasons why and responses to. Depth upon depth of pain and sorrow and anticipation and calm and that feeling of emptiness when you don t want to feel any more and that intangible, blood-pumping-through-my-veins joy that gives one the illusion of invincibility. But when we distance ourselves from ourselves, root our souls in something more complete than our fragmentation, we know that we are glad to not be invincible. We are glad that reality in big bursts like the rejection of a lover or the admonition of a mentor and in small bursts like the reach of a hand, the look of an eye, the smile of a face we are glad that reality can touch us. That it pokes and prods and shoves and stings. That it tears away at what we think is our heart but is really just a wall blocking it. The heart is underneath and there s no reason to hide it. Because the human heart will never be done away with. Page 3

5 Unbreakable Fragility Cont d Nor need it constantly fear that every force is conspiring against it. For reality not only pokes and prods and shoves and stings and breaks apart but also puts together and raises up and inspires and comforts and beckons. Pain may be found where its call leads; but to deny the call is to set aside the vitality of existence. To settle for something shallow and shapeless and so safe that it poses more danger to humanity than anything else. To follow the call is nothing else than to live. It must not be that special, then, we think if it is not anything more than just living. But what if living itself is more marvelous and vibrant and adventurous and triumphant than we typically dare to imagine? And what if we dare to imagine it? What then? Page 4

6 Light Meiosis Connor Schmidt Page 5

7 Dawn Izzy Iliff the sun peeks its gentle face over the horizon and says good morning to the sky the sky alights with colors its own sort of rainbow and bids farewell to the night the birds serenade the world calling to each other following songs they hear within trees stretch branches to the light their way to awaken whispering hello in the wind people join the new day too start anew with the sun move past yesterday s plights and strife the world awakens at dawn bringing a new day a new beginning, a new life Page 6

8 Response to Genesis 12-18; 27-29; 32 Nathan Jacobsen While reading this week s sections of Genesis, which focus primarily on the development of Abraham s lineage through Isaac and Jacob, what stood out prominently throughout the reading was the competitive, cutthroat style of relationships that seem to develop during this time. Not only are these slightly shady methods of dealing with people prominent between different nomadic tribes, but they also seem to play a large role in interfamily affairs as well. I refer in this case to Isaac s blessing stolen by Jacob in Genesis 27 and the deceit of Laban in Genesis 29. All of this trickery and deceit, along with the wayward settling of land in this week s reading has a stark resemblance to the way things were dealt with in the American settling of the West. Expanding on this analogy I would like to first dive into Rebekah s swap of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 27. Though not as bloody as Old West back-stabbings (although it could have been worse), Rebekah s decision to trick Isaac in order for Jacob to fulfil God s promise that two people born of you shall be divided. One shall be stronger than the other; the elder shall serve the younger (Gen 25:23) was quite tricky. Also, the fact that all it takes to fool a blind man is throwing a couple animal skins over your arms to simulate hair baffles me. Either way, this example shows that things could be pretty easily taken during this more lawless time in Biblical history. The second trickery in this clump of readings was Laban s daughter swap, coming in Genesis 29. Yet again, an agreement between two parties is broken to the benefit of just one. Having already gotten seven years of manual labor from Jacob, Laban now weasels another seven, and a full week of procreation for his eldest daughter Leah who was not favored over Rachel. Even between family members, the slyness and trickery reminds me of cowboys cheating at poker and duping people out of their hard-earned cash or goods. Now obviously this is not a perfect analogy, but what I was trying to get across in this is that the lack of laws and just the style of living during this time in the Bible is similar to prospectors traveling west in the 1800 s looking for better lives for themselves. This coupled with all the tricks and lies between families and groups gives the reading a slight western vibe. Page 7