Meditation by Rev. Diane Rollert, 11 January 2009
This day I am awash
in the rivers of sadness.
Oh God of Abraham,
Oh God of Ibrahim,
Why have you forsaken your children?
Why have you left defenceless children
to grow up in a rain of bullets and bombs?
How can anything bloom in such darkness?
How can you let your ancient love
become justification for war?
We sit down by the rivers of Babylon and we cry
as we remember Zion and Palestine.
We sit on this side of silence,
helpless, angry, frightened for a world
whose future hangs in the balance;
Hanging by a thread of sanity so thin
in a place so small,
ready to brake at any moment
And leave us all falling, falling.
My dreams are small.
My prayers are small:
Just food, water, shelter,
songs and lullabys for the smallest child,
a peaceful place
where a mother can rock her child to sleep
knowing they will wake in the morning alive
to the rhythm of life
without sirens or shattered news.
Freedom and security,
the simple hospitality of one stranger welcoming the other
Of strangers waking to bless the rising of the sun
with gratitude.
Peace, may we say to each other
and bring only the best to share,
to heal the wounds of centuries.
Please tell me it is not too much to ask.
Please tell me it is not too late.
For my children are your children
and our people are one.
Build us no borders,
No countries,
No homelands,
No shrines.
Build us peace.
Shalom. Salaam. Amen.
