for boston, for the world

((I wrote this hurriedly earlier this evening when I first got home from work, and have sat staring at the words off and on all night until now))

The skies are weeping. The heavens are screaming. Heavy, hard drops of rain are plumetting from the clouds that have taken today's blue sky and washed it a crippling grey.

But there. Just beyond the farthest corner of my bedroom window, where my forehead meets the glass and I can strain my eyes no more - bright. 

Bright, pulsating light between the heavily armed boughs of the enormous oak in the backyard. 

God has wept. 

He is not stoic. He is not cold.  

Our Father is not sitting up there on some untouchable throne, staring cruelly at humanity with unblinking eyes and a stiff upper lip. No, oh my goodness, not at all.

Just like us, He is heartbroken. His children are hurting each other. 

This is not His will.

Do not believe the lie that He did this.

Believe that He is grieving just as the rest of the world is. Believe that He loves more than we can possibly fathom. Believe that He will heal the hurting hearts. 

Believe that this could, in some way only He could make it so, be a sign of hope.

Mr. Rogers said it - I will say it again:

Look for the helpers. 

You will always find people who are helping.

Have you seen the video from the site of the first

explosion? Have you seen that while some scattered,

more ran toward that place? The helpers are coming.

Have you read the prayers? Have you read the hearts 

of people the world over, from all walks, faiths and 

seasons of life? People are helping however they can.

So many of my friends have spoken of how they fear the world their children will grow up in. I don't fault them for that.

But me? I am hopeful for the world my children will grow up in. I am hopeful when I see a world rising up against evil. I am hopeful when I see that we will not stand for this. 

There has been a battle between good and evil as long as there has been a battlefield for the war to call home.

I don't believe the world is any more dangerous than it ever has been - we as a people are just getting more creative with the ways we hurt each other. And we are able to spread word of our doings faster than ever before. 

What I do believe is that this is the time to rise up against the enemy, once and for all. Already I can only imagine his horror when, in the plumes of billowing smoke, people did not leave the scared and the injured for dead, but covered them and protected them and sought to heal them.

Already his plan is failing because when evil has struck, time and time again, so much, too much, in recent months - grace and kindness and hope and strength and unity and love have escaped from under the ashes of a fallen world. 

In the wake of tragedy after tragedy, what I see is a people taking their place on the front lines of battle, clothing themselves in the armor of goodness, taking aim and backing the enemy further into his corner where one day, whether it be tomorrow or millenniums away from this horrific day, the final blow will strike.

And the war will end.

We know Who wins.

The victory has already been claimed.

But the battle rages on.

Arm yourselves. Do not let hate win your hearts. Let them break. Let yourself ache for this.

Grieve. Hold onto each other. Tell someone how much you love them.

Forgive. Restore what has been broken.

Do not become numb. Receive grace.

Seek justice.

Love mercy.

Walk humbly.

Boston, the hearts of your brothers & sisters are with you.