Monday, December 17, 2012

"These tragedies must end. To end them we must change."


This was a "weekend away" for me ... so these photos were ones snapped down in Laguna Beach: icons of the collective grief, mourning and increased determination to find the will to find a way to BE the change we must see to end the scourge of gun violence in this country.

Ed Bacon offered a profoundly powerful sermon from the All Saints pulpit yesterday. You can watch that here.

President Obama was exquisitely present in his role as both "Comforter and Challenger in Chief" -- comforting the grieving and challenging the nation to change. You can read it here. You can watch it here.

And Madeline L'Engle is still one of the places I turn for language to apprehend the holy in spite of the horrible:

First Coming
by Madeleine L’Engle

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine.

He did not wait till hearts were pure.
In joy he cameto a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

No comments: