Tuesday, June 02, 2020

Weeping over Ramah


“A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

Matthew 2:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
***
I am not even going to touch much on the horror of
the death, the murder, of FG.  Or of what racism does.
I am pondering if very much but I am not going to speak about
what I have not experienced or what others can competently 
speak on.  
***
because of the tragic scary horrific events there.
***
I am so grieved for what I hear happening in NYC.
Fires, destruction, looting (breaking in and stealing).
Who is this helping? I am not sure but I am not sure I would
want to know, as in it would make my heart break even more.
Who is this hurting? 
The poor, the hungry, the already ravaged NYC
with massive unemployment because of the pandemic.
***
Who is thinking of them in this?
Who do you think needs help even more?
Those who just lost jobs, homes, their only food source.
***
I was so troubled today.
Do you know the term 'Virtue Signaling'? 
The Cambridge dictionary defines it this way:
"Virtue signalling is the popular modern habit of indicating 
that one has virtue merely by expressing disgust 
or favour for certain political ideas or cultural happenings."
***
Why am I upset about this?
Because of what social media and news in general is like now days.
Here today, gone tomorrow.
Remember the huge outpouring for Haiti a few years ago?
Yeah, most of the huge amounts of money never got to help them.
I have contacts, I know.
Social media is really full of "lemmings" that follow whatever 
the rest are doing and to be honest they have no idea who
their leader is even is.  
***
Even now, how many realize that the same people who feel the 
brunt of racism and poverty are now suffering even more
because their grocery stores were destroyed, their houses burnt.
***
Social media, in a week or two will have moved on to something new.
Who will remember the poor then? Or those who are still
suffering from racism, poverty and a whole lot of heaviness?
Who remembers Haiti? The list goes on.
And we can't do it all.
This post is not meant to be about guilt, as in to make 
my reader feel like a heel.  
We ARE all called to repentance.
And if we can, to help in whatever way we can.
I now we can't help everyone
or save everyone or even support every 'cause'...
***
Anyway. 
Today was a rough day for me on this front.
Thank God my own city is not in flames
and there were peaceful protests.
***
Repentance.
Prayer.
Examining our own hearts.
Tears.
Caring for others.
Not forgetting those who social media soon forgets.
How Lord, can we live? How can we love?
How can we respect each person as they truly are,
made in YOUR image, with unquestionable 
dignity accorded to EACH human being. 
***
Lord have mercy!
Lord have mercy on us!
Lord have mercy on the fallen!
Lord have mercy on the poor, the hungry.
Lord have mercy on us....

9 comments:

Elizabethd said...

It is indeed a heartbreaking time.
I'm so thankful I donr have anything to do with social media.

LizaEllen said...

Thank you for so eloquently expressing what others - including myself - are feeling. Praying.

Lisa Richards said...

Yes. Those who burn and destroy while calling for justice have no idea what justice is. I hear rumors that many of these protesters are being paid to cause such a disruption in society, and many weak minded people are following their example. Who knows? It's crazy. Praying for many who have lost businesses and property at the hands of these "thugs".

E Helena E said...

Praying with you and sending you all my love.

Patricia & Fouad said...

Thank you dear Elizabeth for writing these words that explain exactly how I feel. May the Lord be with us all.

Lisa said...

It's horrible. I even saw an article today saying that Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, was injured - he said it's really rough out there and it was one of the most chaotic scenes he'd ever encountered. Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

May God have mercy on us all.
My prayers you both, and for the people of America.

Gretchen Joanna said...

A good word, Elizabeth. Thank you. Lord, have mercy!

Mat. Anna said...

This is the truth. I was so horrified at the violence visited on innocent people. People who now have no access to groceries or pharmaceuticals in their neighborhoods. People who may not get help if their family member is taken ill or has an accident. Truly, it is evil.