X.  A BALM IN GILEAD? “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (Jeremiah 8:22)      The prophet, Jeremiah, asked the question in the midst of misery.      “My grief is beyond healing, my heart is sick within me.”      His grief was not just for himself but also for his country. “For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded, I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me.”      When unthinkable horror and tragedy overwhelm, we are also overwhelmed with all sorts of feelings. The newspapers and letters to the editors are full of our expressions. Everything from bitter anger, calls for vengeance, to numbness and depression are expressed. Underlying it all is our grief and sorrow. It is a grief beyond healing. Our hearts are sick within us.      We look for some healing of our hearts. We look for a “balm.” Gilead was known for producing healing balm. Jeremiah asked whether there was a balm in Gilead to heal grieving hearts.      We are also seeking some sort of balm to heal our hearts.      For some, the only balm will be some military action that shows America’s anger and power. That would make some people feel better.      For others, the balm will be re-establishing the sense of security we thought we had before the horrors of September 11.      For others, the balm will be restoration of the buildings and life as it was, along with the economy.      Balm comes in many brands.      The balm of patriotism has been applied. Songs many young people don’t even know have been sung. The Star Spangled Banner, America, America the Beautiful and God Bless America stir and warm hurt hearts. Tears are turned to feelings of pride. It is healing.      The balm of spirituality has been applied. “Amazing Grace” has become a national hymn. It has been sung in cathedrals and baseball parks and candlelight vigils. Many have sought the balm of their spiritual homes in mosques, churches and synagogues. Many have gone out on the waters in sailboats, or out on the paths of parks and scenic streets.      We humans have amazing resilience. And so do nations of people, given enough time. There is something about life that rises up and overcomes. Healing is in the world. It waits to be claimed.      Those who seek a quick miracle cure are sure to be disappointed. Deep grief resists healing. There will be time when we will say with Jeremiah, “My grief is beyond healing.”      That is when we need to sing as the slaves sang, “Yes! There is a balm in Gilead!”      It's a good song to sing to yourself in times like these. It carries words that answer the question of whether we can ever recover from this wound to our nation and ourselves. It is a word from history, a word from those who have walked in the valley of the dark shadow, as well as a word from ancient scripture. “Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain,   But then the Holy Spirit, revives my soul again. There is a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,   There is a Balm in Gilead to heal the heartsick soul.”      We live toward that healing day. Art Morgan, September 11, 2001