the value of lament

It seems so easy to deep dive into lament

As the world driven by a “frenzy of greed”

“indulges in an orgy of envy” (EF Schumacher)

 

and there is a place for lament

and repentance too

 

 

while it is tempting to

sit outside the city gates

in our noble distress

 

and utter our prophetic anathemas

 

this place of sackcloth and ashes

can never be our resting place

 

there is a time for lament

and there is a time

for standing up, brushing ourselves off

 

and marching back into the fray

not as those

who dominate and coerce

 

not as the (self) righteous who “stamp out sin”

but as those

who wield love

 

it is tempting to see our selves

as those entrusted with “the truth”

 

but in fact we are entrusted with love

which is our message

and is our means

and is our end

 

if we linger in lament (and judgement)

we may well create

“less light, love and wholeness in the world” (Roger Wolsey)

 

instead of lifting up

we may oppress

 

if Jesus had anything to say

(and he did)

it is that we cannot stay in the tomb

but must rise

 

death leads to life

lament leads to hope

repentance leads to love

 

on this morning’s morning

as the storm clouds roiled across the sky

and the rains fell

and the wind blew

 

I wanted to beat my breast

and rend my garments (metaphorically)

I wanted to illuminate the ills of the world

and set those “sinners” straight

 

but instead I was reminded

gently

that people do better when lifted up than when beaten down

that praise and encouragement

often create more change that criticism

 

and that love

works better than anger

at created more love

 

so this day of days

let us remember who we are

Sacred Childen

loved and empowered

 

we can sort the truth from fiction

we can lay aside anger

we can be generous

we can lead with love

 

the world needs more light

more love

more wholeness

 

we can do this!