a blessing for the ones left behind

Oh God,
we are elated to be gaining ground
in so many ways.
Yet some are barely inching forward,
or have fallen ruinously behind.

God help us remember them.
give us eyes to really see them.

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

For if they fall,
one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him
who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
Ecclesiastes 4:10 NKJV

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

blessed are we
who pray for the many
who are still alone,
fighting a losing battle.
in countries where
the virus is roaring back

in hospital wards
where healers must decide
who lives and who dies

in cities where poverty
has stolen hope
and melted it down into anger

in homes where violence is normal
in court rooms where justice is forsaken,
or in offices where people run out of options.

But God, honestly,
we are so weary from this long struggle.

we need a minute to recover,
to genuinely celebrate

the progress that has actually
been made on so many fronts,

for the vaccines
and their widening distribution
and the hope they have brought us,

and for the startling evidence
of social change that seems possible.

where justice changes
what we learn to hope for.

blessed are we
who say God, thank you,
but also, people are still dying.

show us where to look
to find the eyes
that are empty of hope.
show us where is
the scrap of humanity thrown aside,
all dignity lost.

show us where is the one.
the one we are to restore
by meeting their glance
at the level of their need.

Imaginary good is boring;
real good is always new,
marvelous, intoxicating.
― Simone Weil

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

there is no great imaginary good.
there is just one real doable thing.
because you are there, it’s our turn.