Not again, not again, not again! we scream, O God.
And yet our screams, our laments, are unheard.
The cries of parents and grandparents and siblings who have lost a loved one, murdered by gun violence, go unanswered.
How long, O Lord? How long, how long, how long?
For though we wish You would tear open the heavens and come down and save us,
You have given us every tool, every insight, every bit of wisdom and knowledge to know how to prevent this, but we are unwilling.
We have valued money and power over the blood of our children.
You desire mercy and not sacrifice, but we continue to sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice
Believing that somehow it will save us?
We made a mistake, O God, those of us who are Christian
We made the cross our symbol and worshiped it instead of You.
We have worshiped violence,
Believing that only violence can stop violence
“Those who live by the sword die by the sword.”
Jesus said this before he was taken away and killed.
So we know. We know.
That violence will not save us.
The only choice we have, if we believe in Christ,
Is to give up our love of violence.
To give up our weapons that are made to kill another.
This is the only choice if we
are faithful.
This is the only choice
if we want our children to live.
O God, may we be brave enough
to make the right choice.
Amen.