We asked Aaron Hollander and Sonia Velázquez to reflect on each other’s recent books. Here, Velázquez explores the intersection of hagiography, aesthetics, and politics.

Scripture invites those who thirst today, such as those traversing the Sonoran desert in the hope of a liveable existence, to raise their voice in protest, to insist that their human value be recognized. And it invites those of us who have plenty to amplify that complaint, to set aside the anxieties of those seeking to maintain lopsided power and position, and partner with the Divine.