Once upon a time, so the story goes, the prophet Ezra, an Israelite captive in Babylon, lay on his bed, lost in thought. Zion had sinned; therefore God had given them over to their enemies. Ezra, godly man and straight thinker that he was, assumed this was because the Babylonians led better lives than the Jews. It made sense; it was logical.

Only, it wasn't true. Upon arrival in Babylon, he found what he termed "more wickedness than I could reckon." The Babylonians were sinful, yet victorious over God's chosen people; prosperous, though they knew none of God's commandments.

Ezra was not a happy camper.

So, God sent the angel Uriel to help out. Ezra explained the problem. The angel said okay, that's a snap, no problem, just answer me one little thing first. This was easier than Ezra had ever hoped; It just went to show how important it was to ask the right person the right question. He accepted.

The angel responded as indicated above. Ezra replied that the angel's elevator clearly had lost the route, or words to that effect. Maybe he just asked for one from Column B, instead. Or recommended a good family therapist. At any rate, he suggested there was a pronounced non-linear aspect to the angel's proposition, and could he please hear it one more time, from the top?

Uriel answered: "I have only asked you about fire, wind and yesterday - things you are bound to have met. If you cannot understand things you have grown up with, how can you hope to comprehend the ways of the Most High?"

We live in a scientific age; our light switches usually work, our toilets are flushed with success, and, more often than not, we get the right phone number when we place a call. Sure, there's still the IRS, the U.S. Postal Service and summer reruns, but nobody's perfect. The point is, we're used to sure and positive answers, and we do well to seek them when we can. But God grant us the wisdom to understand our comprehension has limits. There is strength and and wonderful peace to be found in living with mystery.