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.
It's discouraging especially when we remember...it was an ANNIVERSARY attack. Fifty years ago, the Yom Kippur War. Israel could have chosen not to let this be the Simchat Torah War, but it's hard to blame them for reacting.
ReplyDeleteIf humankind could just say: "War is not the answer. When individuals commit violent crimes, those individuals must pay." If we could stop thinking in terms of groups...that'd be individualism, a very good thing.
Heartfelt. These are my favorite words: "War can never build
ReplyDeletethe bridge that only peace can sing."