When children die, when they are killed, and when they are killed by another child, alive but lost in different ways and for different sins, the soft wild animal of the heart needs a space to grieve.

May you know your ache, your fear, your hopelessness and anger as an expression of courage this week.  For it is only the heart that can still wail with grief that exists within the world, and one day – soon for some, many nights and daybreaks for others – will find a way to use these wounded hearts to create a different world in which to raise our children.

For our children whose courage and vision will save us, we fall with humble gratitude for their strength, and tear our clothes in grief that they have been given a harsh world in which they must fight for life that is beautiful.  For our teachers who are told they should have guns but not pencils, we seek to use our power to afford them the correct tools for raising a generation.  For our parents who watch their hearts walk from their safekeeping each day, and who pray a desperate prayer of safety, we bring our fragile hearts together and find there a source of promise.  And for the helpers, we hope they have the same.

In a world that is hard and harsh, we seek constant reminders that it is also beautiful.  We seek places to let our grief be named courage.

 

Rev. Kim Wildszewski