February 2, 2023

An ancient prophet wrote words we could, or perhaps do, pray today:

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?

Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?

Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble?

Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.

So the law becomes slack, and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous; therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

It’s Groundhog Day. The shadows are long for us and the winter of our discontent seems unending.

Like Phil in the movie, we are caught in a time loop that seems inescapable. Even Habakkuk felt stuck in cycles of injustice and destruction.

What will it take for you to shine the light of peace and love so we never have to say another name, with the shame of inexplicable violence upon a Black man during a traffic stop? What will it take for you to shine such that we can learn our nation’s history with the conviction that truth is the foundation of reconciliation? What will it take for you to shine such that the spiritual quest for life becomes a common ground for common goodness, regardless of the religion providing the north star for its followers?

May the light of Christ shine in you this week, even if you are praying the words of the prophet, or because you are willing to pray those words, “How long.”  Jesus says, “Not long–You are the light of the world.”