A Prayer for Ukraine
Whether in war or in the streets, Whether alone or in a group, Whether deliberate or not, My aching heart reflects On what it takes To end a human life. What cruelty, anger, and lack? What unattended, frozen heart? What distorted, twisted mind? What unexpected fate? Conspire to end a life which God’s Wondrous goodness has wrought. I see the twisted hands Bound behind the back. The naked bodies strewn Among the ruble of disdain. Blood everywhere, Defiling our human soul. The mother-child in mid flight, Gunned down by a fellow being. Thrown into the open grave pit, Replete with hands and feet Stretching out in silence Toward our wounded heart. My tears fill with anger and rage. Despair blooms and I must act. Yet, a helpless sense overwhelms My feeble thoughts of change. I stand paralyzed, unable to move, And can only surrender to the pain. I know the love my heart holds. A delicate, precious, beautiful flame That is extinguished when ignored, Yet grows into a roaring fire Of love, compassion, and goodwill When attended and desired. I know the world from this radiance, And act in service of the grace it gives. Thus, despite the brutality I see, I find it worthwhile to remember That the grace of goodness lives Even in those whose evil is unleashed. They act this way only because In ways large and small, They, their families, and their world failed To nurture that fragile flame, That unblemished grace of goodness That gifted them with life. I lift my voice in silent prayer for such waste and wretchedness, And offer my wounded heart To the valiant souls in its wake. May they experience life from its radiance, And act in service of its grace.
