How Long

Gentian blue sky

dandelion seed clouds play

hide and seek with the sun

 

brightly colored ribbons hang

from hawthorn, old party

streamers from branches, banners

 

of longing, a prayer for healing

the great divide of the heart

or a beloved consumed by cancer

 

or simply the echo of the Psalmist’s

ancient cry, “How long, O God?”

into the vast and thunderous silence

                     Christine Valters Paintner

_________________________________________

 

Injustice lurks in the hall of justice

How long, O God?

 

Narcissism ignore 200,000 deaths

for petty grievances

How long, O God?

 

Good people die

and not so good people plan even

over a still cooling body

How long, O God?

 

Covid-19 spreads among people

who refuse to do the simple things

to keep each other safe

How long, O God?

 

Division rules

and “we the people” are ripped asunder

by those who would polarizing

using party and prayer

How long, O God

 

You are a God of love

woven into the fabric of the universe

into the hills and trees

rivers and streams

 

present in the gently waving aspen

and stately conifers

in the brilliant red gold coats or oaks and maples

 

part of our flesh and bone

we Sacred Children

who carry you

the third incarnation

 

after creator created

after creator enter creation

after creator arrived to dwell not just among but within us

 

how can we deny this presence

so readily, so profoundly

 

how can we listen to lies and shrug

violate morality so casually

 

how can we chose the way of domination and wealth

so eagerly

 

do we not know the story of Adam and Eve

and the tempter

who lured with the promise ‘they would be like God’

 

do we not know the story of Jesus in the wilderness

as the tempter offered fame and fortune

and early power

 

to Jesus

who reject that path

 

for another of sacrifice and service

 

How long, O lord

How long

 

Will our choices cause such pain?

 

until we follow

until we realize that an unholy alliance

with power

and with the world

 

will cause our souls to shrivel

and the image of God to be blurred

 

We cry to God

“how long?”

 

there is thunderous silence

 

and out of the silence

word’s echo’s back

 

“how long?”

God asks

“how long?”