Oh, To Be Hushed

...........in the wake of Newtown (update, and now Boston);
and the Newtowns of Syria, Gaza, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uganda, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Mexico....


I pray for a Jesus-y voice to rise above the din, a voice that will hush us.

A voice that peels away, sheers off,
our logical defenses
our rationed benevolences
our self-serving agendas
our short-sighted intentions.

A voice that unites us in our shames:
of sensationalism above sensitivity
of glamour above mental affliction
of mammon above poverty
of sword above plow
of individual rights above human rights
of homeland barriers above a welcoming hearth.

A voice so laden with grace, with humanity, with heart-break
that we cannot utter a sound
to counter.

A voice that melts us
drives us to our knees
breaks our hearts.
Hushes us.  Hushes us.

A voice that speaks to the darkness
in us.

Oh, to be hushed.
To be hushed.