A Virtual Church

Enough

April 16, 2013

The psalmist cries out, “How long, O Lord?” When the news of the day is tragedy, once again our hearts are broken, and our questions rise in the night. My prayer tonight has altitude…  I keep praying to understand the why of today.  Why  does such a dastardly deed take place in such a happy event as the Boston Marathon, a place that is a culmination of a lot of work and effort, a place where personal bests and team efforts are measured, a place where people have trained and scrimped, and collected money for a cause, and gotten blisters and dehydration to accomplish a goal? What is so wrong in the world that a race would be the place for some lost soul to exercise his or her right to collect items for bombs and find the freedom to walk through a crowd to do such an awful deed? Random? I think not. It was an intentional act, well planned and becoming less and less uncommon. Tonight my prayer is “Enough!” There has been enough bloodshed, and it is getting closer and closer to my doorstep. Enough bickering over things that in the long run don’t really matter. Enough having to be right and best and first. Enough partisanship. Enough ego-driven filibuster. Enough empty rhetoric and media bologna. Enough turning a blind eye toward those little sins among us that add up to a big problem that lies on the horizon. Enough sending young men and women into combat zones, where everyday is Marathon, everyday is risk. What are the root causes among us that need examination? Evening prayer is a time for the Examen. How is it with my soul? What have I done today that is not Christ-like? Where have I seen Christ? Enough blaming someone else for the ills of the world, where am I culpable? Where am I responsible? What can I do to build relationship with those who fear? How can I share and give that others may know the goodness that I know this night? How long, O Lord? What do I need to lay aside that there may be peace in the world? What do I need to pick up? My heart aches tonight for those injured and lost in the events of today at the Boston Marathon. O Lord, grant comfort; bring healing to your people. Thank you for all the responders who were your hands and feet today. Keep your world from falling apart through the work and words and deeds of all who love you. Bless this night with your grace and keep your people in your care. Amen.    

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