Dear Holy One, my soul is weary from the weight of suffering and war hanging over the world since October 7. My mind cannot comprehend the depth of the hate that drives people to inflict such cruelty on other humans. The centuries-old hatred between Palestinians and Jews is so horrific it defies human understanding. I want to offer even a tiny bit of wisdom or hope, but the well of inspiration is dry. There simply seem to be no good solutions. When our own members of Congress cannot overcome their differences to elect a leader what hope is there for peace in the Middle East? Anger and hate veto any desire to make peace or even to limit the wrath of retribution to just one eye for an eye or one life for a life. To turn the other cheek to the evil represented by Hamas or Putin is almost laughable at worst or hopelessly naïve at best. We all live in glass houses and none dare cast stones because we are none of us without sin. My own nation’s history of genocide and racism is a log in our eyes that disqualify us from passing judgment on anyone else.
Human history is one horror saga after another full of wars, bloodshed, and tears. Out of the depths we cry peace, peace, but there is no peace. Widows in Ramah are still weeping for their children while it takes excruciating days to even open a gate to deliver food and water to starving masses in Gaza. I want to turn my mind and eyes away from the atrocities, but my heart yearns to know the awful news, even though I feel hopeless to respond. The ties of sisterhood and brotherhood that bind me to my siblings in Ukraine, Gaza, and Israel are too strong for me to just escape into apathy or hopelessness. My prayer is that when we hit the bottom of our grief we will surrender to the reality that peace is beyond our human reach. For it is only in surrender to our weakness that you can fill us with courage and strength for the living of these days. Fill my weary spirit with your eternal peace and love, O Ground of all Being, and let me be a flicker of light in the darkness. Amen
Peacefully Harsh 