Above the Board

In one of our offices there is a large white board on the wall. It is divided vertically into three sections. The top section lists alphabetically the names of soldiers whose remains are located in the mortuary and ready for home-going. The second section lists alphabetically the names of soldiers who have been reported Killed-in-Action but have not yet arrived in Dover. The third section lists - well, you really do not want to know. All of us who work in the mortuary like it when the second section is blank. Our troops rejoice publicly and pray privately. “Lord, keep this board empty. No more dying. No more IED’s. Bring peace.”

Yesterday I walked by the board - - - ten new names.

Sitting close to the board was a young army PFC. His job is to keep the board current, adding, moving and deleting names. I asked him if he could please stop putting new names on the board. He responded, “Sir, I pray every day that there will be no new names to add.”

I’m a chaplain. The door was open for a teaching moment; a spiritual conversation; a reminder of grace; the presence of God brought to the mortuary.

“So, PFC, what’s the problem? You prayed but the names keep on coming. Why?”

“Maybe you should be the one praying Sir.”

To myself I thought, “Point well taken.” To him I said, “I pray for peace every day, PFC. What’s going on here? How come God does not answer our prayers?”

“Must be God’s will Sir.” But his answer was quick and flippant.

“In what religious tradition did you grow up PFC?” I asked.

“Catholic and Baptist Sir.”

“So is that what you learned from your Catholic/Baptist training? That if our prayers are not answered it is because it’s not God’s will. Is that all? Nothing else? No other reason? Come on! Give me some help here.” By now four other PFC’s, two sergeants, and one Lt.Col. had stopped working and were all ears.

I neither can nor need to reproduce the entire conversation that ensued. Suffice it to say that all the party line religious answers, a little strange folk theology and some thoughtful perspective were expressed in the next 10 minutes. The conversation was animated. Everyone had something to add. It was classroom, worship space and retreat all rolled into one. The specific answers were of little importance to me. However we process these questions the names seem to keep going up on the board. What is of extreme importance to me is the awesome opportunity to enter into this conversation, turn minds toward higher things, turn hearts toward the things of God and lift eyes above the board. God showed up and it was enough.