ELMER MASS, FRIEND MENTOR

    by Rick Sieber

Any visitor to Elmer’s pad noticed his make-shift traveling bed roll. Made from discarded pieces of foam and other such materials he was always ready to go for the spirit, to go assist and spur on any people of conscience. Very few studies of Isaiah’s words occurred without his presence. He was master of fleshing out those passages that lead good people to bad places…very bad places. To do necessary things, like marking weapons and naming monsters and disarming perilous machines whose purpose is to main and kill.
He was master of the gentle nudging, the loving guiding to Phil Berrigan’s fire and fervor. He knew how to create the spiritual atmosphere necessary for people to grow in confidence and purpose, to confront pwer at it’s sometimes ugliest moments of overkill.
He knew what he was doing, always did, always will. His presence anywhere meant deep commitment, staunch perseverance for justice, firm resolve to know what needs to be done and how to do it.
My mentor, I listened to Elmer for hours on end, only interrupting to add some knowledge I may have gleaned on my own from constant reading. He could put it together, link it to the past, make the jumbled mess appear logical and knowable. He knew names, places, events and dates to tie the scoundrels to this and that atrocity. He followed the rulers and their insidious grasp for pwer and wealth. I learned to connect dots, follow themes, anticipate the next move of deadly politics from the never changing rulers.
My sons and I gave Elmer the tools to listen to his music. We introduced him to the world of the Internet and the PC’s ability to play music, even allowing him to compose his own masterpieces. He was a damned good musician and musicologist.
The reason elmer is my mentor, however, stems from his inner being. The man, despite all his knowledge and skill, was humble. He could be quiet enough to allow you to grow in his presence. His strong message never came through a harsh word to others. He had as much anger as the rest of us but never the arrogance that most of us allow to guide us. He was one of those peop0le who knew how it was to be done, that peace is the was to overcome violence as well as it’s hoped for outcome.
He is gone from us but left us more than enough of himself to continue. His curriculum will go foreword. I will volunteer my own time and energy to further that program of his hoping that my understanding of it is the right one. If not I will learn the right way. And, of course, my meditations and studies of Isaiah are never far from me. I will enter another den of violence soon. I will carry Elmer’s name and memory in with the prophet’s hammer. Elmer, man, thank you. Maybe now you can cash that bed roll in for a warm comfortable bed; you sure deserve it my friend.

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