Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy”.
Disclaimer. I don’t have any answers for these senseless acts committed in the last few days. . My prayers and condolences to those who lost loved ones this week. This musing was the product of a conversation with a dear older soul that I work with every week.
Another senseless act has impacted children again
Once again there was another violent day at a school. I immediately had a wave of thankfulness that I don’t have high school kids anymore. Those poor souls who lost their lives. Then I felt utter dejection for those parents who do have kids in high school. Will they be safe? How do we know that someone will not sneak in with a gun? Why does this happen? I am not going to argue for gun laws, I don’t know enough about them. I live in a house of trained soldiers who understand guns and their purpose. They are safely kept in a safe and only used when going to the range or in the rare case we need protection.
Hearing the news makes me long for a simpler time
To give you a little perspective, I grew up in the deep south. I can remember riding with my mom to drop my big brother at high school, there were gun racks on the trucks with guns in those racks. The kids parked their trucks, attended school and never brought those guns anywhere near danger. Hunting was the way of life in the hills of Appalachia. Fast forward 7 years to my high school time in the 90s, well, I don’t recall guns on the gun rack, but there were still racks on the backs of the trucks. The most devious activity? Sneaking out to the back of the bleachers near the football field to smoke cigarettes.
We were mischievous but not malicious
It seems like a bygone time. A time where people snuck alcohol (I promise mom, I never did), cigarettes and an occasional stolen kiss in the smelly hallway near the gym. Now our kids have to fear for their safety just walking through the doors of the school. Sure, in my time there were mean girls and boys with a head full of themselves but we understood a simple principle. The Love of God and Neighbors. There was no question, “When will the next act happen?”
What has happened to humanity?
What happened? How have we traversed down this nefarious path? Well, I have some assumptions but I am not going to give you mine. Rather, I am going to give you the thoughts of a little old lady who I work with 3 times a week. Her wisdom is like Socrates giving us some good nuggets to live by. She’s lived, loved, lost husbands, lost friends and done the things (in the words of my kids). She possesses what I do not. Advanced age and wisdom.
A little old lady had some wise words
This week this dear one came to work with me in physical therapy with a burden in her heart. She had heard of the recent violence in yet another school. As I started to work with her, in the middle of our session she stopped and wept. When I asked her what was wrong she had quite a lot to say. “Love, I lived through World War II. I was blasted on my way to the shelter in England, I received a concussion and a pretty bad headache but I lived. I made my way through the air force and Vietnam, and some pretty bad times, yet I still never wished ill on my neighbor.
In her pain, she held on to her humanity
I lived through 2 men leaving me after several years of marriage and yet I still lived. Recently, I’ve almost lost my eyesight and I still choose to live. Through all these circumstances I never once wished violence on anyone. Not even the Germans who were bombing my homeland. I may have been angry, hurt, upset and anxious, but I never once wanted those who wished me harm any ill, nor their families to be harmed. Do you know why, love? I had the foundation of the Sunday School Generation. We were at church every time the doors opened. We learned to love our neighbors, we learned to love God and we learned to pray.
Such simple acts, yet profound consequences
After hearing those words I couldn’t help but shake my head in agreement. I too had grown up in the late 80s and early 90s. Every single time the doors of the church were opened we were there. Scripture drills were plenty, hymns were sung until they imprinted on my very musical soul. We were learning about community and humanity.
Have we lost the Sunday School generation?
I agreed with Miss Anne. After she regained her composure she said, “I lament the Sunday School generation, it may have had its problems but it also had some very wonderful rewards. Tell me love, did you ever fear going to school?” I took a moment and thought, “I may have feared what people thought of my hair but I never feared for my life.” Ms. Anne shook her head and said, “That’s right love, you and those around you, well most of them, had a foundation of faith. Their lives may not have been perfect but they were grounded in humanity.
Have we lost the Sunday School Generation? If you look at statistical analysis of church attendance, it has gone down significantly in the last 50 years. Why is that? Life has gotten easier, technology has gotten better and the world wide bug impacted just about everything. If we don’t have a goal to serve God and others what do we have? Anger, selfishness, no awareness of anyone around us and a general sense of loneliness. What did getting up and going to church teach us? The world is an enormous place that is just not about us, but rather about something bigger than us.
Sunday School taught us humanity 101
Sunday School, even with its issues, taught us something about life. It taught us about humanity and the ability to understand each other. Sunday School also taught us to pray for those who do not agree with us. Sunday school taught us to pray for those who persecute us rather than act in anger. At the end of my conversation with Ms. Anne she had a few more words to say, “It is time to return back to the basic tenets of humanity. To listen, to try to understand, to give the truth humbly and to respect each other’s humanity.
Perhaps It is time for some Lamentation
Yes, much like the book of Lamentations, we should indeed wish for a better sense of humanity. We can ban a lot of things in perpetuity but it does not fix the human heart and spirit condition. Change comes from within. I pray that we as a people can look within and make the changes necessary. I also hope that we can pray for one another and return to some semblance of Sunday School. Listen to our elders, they can teach us a lot. Thank you Ms. Anne for the lesson in humanity. It was well needed.
Why did Lamentations happen?
The people of God had strayed from God and his message. It is a tale as old as time. When we walk away from the tenets of God what happens? Awful Consequences. God is absent, chaos reigns. Sorrow is prevalent, murder, maliciousness, and grief reign supreme. How can anyone have basic humanity in this circumstance? It is quite impossible.
I leave you all with a small prayer from Lamentations 3
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness.
I called your name Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” You came when I called you and said, “Do not fear.” You Lord took up my case; you redeemed my life.”
Even so, we pray for peace.
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