Indianapolis native Kurt Vonnegut uses the phrase "and so it goes," throughout his novel, Slaughterhouse-Five after moments of death, tragedy, or absurdity. "And so it goes" reflects Vonnegut's existential perspective on life and the human condition. It suggests that regardless of events or circumstances, life continues in its unpredictable and indifferent way. It conveys a sense of resignation and acceptance of the inevitability of things happening as they do, without any control or meaning attached to them. He uses the phrase to emphasize the recurring themes of war, death, and the apparent senselessness of human existence. It serves as a reminder of the absurdity and futility of trying to find meaning or order in a chaotic world.

As we entered the holy season of Lent, we took time to pause and reflect on how we are living our numbered days. This year, we looked at the season through the eyes of Vonnegut, who had a love and appreciation for Jesus but was skeptical of Christianity. Vonnegut was known for his critical and satirical reflections on humanity and its struggle with caring for one another. He was raised in the humanist tradition but, as a little boy, much of his childcare came from a woman named Ida Young, whose grandparents were enslaved. She shared her faith with him. In his later years, Vonnegut was invited to preach on Palm Sunday, and in his message he shared this: “Being merciful, it seems to me, is the only good idea we have received so far. Perhaps we will get another idea that good by and by – and then we will have two good ideas.” This lent, we further explored the good idea of being merciful, looking more closely at the sermon on the mount and The Lord’s Prayer. We considered Jesus apart from Christianity and pondered how we can live out the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.