The Dimming of the Light

 
Chris Pietsch photo/USA Today Network

The moon eclipses the sun on Planet Earth,

dimming its luminous light for a time.

Light is dimmed in Gaza, too, all power off,

civilians suffering for a war 

they didn't want, terror by Hamas

- unthinkable brutality -

human suffering on both sides

of a great divide.

They say Gaza is an open prison, 

refugees crammed into camps,

helpless and hopeless, half

the population under eighteen years old.

The trauma of the Israeli victims and

those who survived is felt deeply.

A normal mind cannot conceive

of such brutality, in the name of Allah.

"Allah akbar" they said as they beheaded

a human being: "God is great."

A loving God must be outraged

at such acts committed in His name.

Each month - each week - brings

darker times. War can never build

the bridge that only peace can sing.

We watch the daily news struck numb
- never an end

to the human and non-human toll

of all our suffering.

The terrorist attack in Israel last week was horrible beyond belief. Hamas is a force that needs to be destroyed, disarmed, ousted. But I think of the suffering of the Palestinian people, too - who have already suffered for decades - and who did not cause and do not want this war. They and Israeli civilians are the ones who will suffer. And another generation of traumatized children will grow up to keep the anger simmering. It is beyond discouraging. On November 4th I will peace blog along with Mimi Lenox with others across the globe. We will fly our globes for peace. But I don't know if I believe any more that humanity will ever find the way to peace. Certainly not in time to head off what promises to be untold human suffering on an epic scale.