Bethel

It happened

in several schools…

        I am a teacher

 

It happened

in a busy mall…

        I am an American consumer

 

It happened

in a movie theater…

        I enjoy a night out

 

It happened

in a church…

in a CHURCH.

 

A House of God, supposed safe haven, tabernacle of the Lord, refuge for the lowly, sanctuary of peace, love, brotherhood…

 

A place where hope lives and breathes and has its meaning…

where prayer is lifted high, the words a shelter from the storm…

 

shades of cowardice and treachery 

now taint its walls,

and the sacrifice of the Lamb pales… 

we are not so worthy of it

after all. 

Reviews

[Carbon Muse]

Whether from outside or from within, the house of God is under attack, every day.

"Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves."

There is nothing new under the sun ... yet the devil is restless and the world is being consumed by his acts and the biggest shame comes not from outside ... but from what we allow inside ...

I see it in our churches ... when congregations turn on each other.
I see it in it's followers ... when the wants and needs of the congregation is honored over and above that of the Lord.
I see it in our pastors ... when those chosen to be the voice of God, chosen to lead His flock, use the Bible to justify the agenda's of man.
I see it in our youth, when a church elder is told they can not receive him, because it interferes with their favorite t.v. show.

We are not worthy, yet he still gave his only son and I yearn for Gabriel to sound the horn for the fullness of time is drawing near.

Thank you for your beautiful poem, for the world is blind and needs to be shown the error of it's ways.

We are His voice, we are His instruments ...

( I am neither profit nor bible basher ... merely an observer, with a tendency to waxing poetic )

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you for these insights, CM. I watch the news and wonder where we went wrong, and realize that in many ways, it has always been this way...

[Motherless]

The worse thing is everyone wants it to stop but no-one will do anything about it.

[Rita L. Sev]

Or, those willing to do something have no power...

[Renée]

Your poem is a reminder for me...
I was in Europe this summer, one of the things that stood out..people become more active at night, breaking bread in out door cafes, families in door ways on steps with dinner on their laps visiting neighbors walking by, dancing in beer gardens..living, joyfully... because their elders have taught them.. live for today, love for today..because tragedy can come quickly and swiftly..

[Rita L. Sev]

No better lesson, for all of us... Thank you, Renee

[kenwillp]

"... IN THE SYNAGOGUE THERE WAS A MAN WITH AN EVIL SPIRIT," AND THE LORD HEALED, LOVED, HIM. THANK YOU

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Ken...

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

I am shocked and yet not surprised by what happened. The evils of this world run ramped.

[Rita L. Sev]

I don't do anger well, and I will never understand such evil...

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

Me neither.

[Robin]

It's been a long time since i have been in the Cafe. I missed your writing! Beautiful, yet heartbreaking piece. It's inconceivable what people will do!

[Rita L. Sev]

Inconceivable, yet some mind conceived of it... Thank you, Robin.

[Einstein Noodle]

i don't know what to say .. a senseless tragedy .. we aren't safe .. we never were really .. i would say that we take our chances each and every time we step out the door of our homes .. but even the sanctity of our homes has been and will be violated .. we have never left behind the dangers of saber toothed tigers, the T-rex ... our neighbors in the next cave .. some of those in our own cave .. they always exist
it takes away our breath .. it touches our hearts and minds ... reading your poem helps Rita ..thank you for sharing it
E.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, E. You are right - we are not as "evolved" as we think we are...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we are not worthy....and no place is safe...our lives have had the greatest intrusion, and in all places...

when the church isn't safe...what is?

unbelievable world we are living in now...nothing but violence everywhere...and the walls of our hearts are now so tainted and cynical.

[Rita L. Sev]

It seems that even "sheltered" lives are exposed to such random violence anymore... Thank you for your insights, Jacob.

[h d e rushin]

It can happen anywhere and at any time Rita. I thank God he didn't kill more than he did.
But what is this psychosis , murder? And how do we as a nation solve it? I'm at a loss for words..

dana

[Rita L. Sev]

Dana, you are right - sad to say, it can happen anywhere. This is such a sad, scary fact of American life. Thank you for your thoughts.