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All the Little Children …Again

All the Little Children …Again

Nearly ten years ago
I shared my response
To the children and adults
Taken from us at Sandy Hook.
My words still ring true
For the children and adults
Taken from us at Uvalde, Texas.

Brother Jesus, I offer you my sadness,
My inability to speak
Words of comfort,
My inadequacy to find meaning.
Just as you came into this world
As a baby
To be God’s presence
Among us,
So, too, you created each little child,
To be your presence for us.
Their years, so short,
Were enough
To teach us how to live,
To love, to laugh, and to learn.
They modeled excitement,
Curiosity, joy, and faith.

Brother Jesus, I believe that
On that Friday mourning,
You embraced them,
And blessed them,
And placed your hands on them;
For the Kingdom of God
Belongs to all the little children
And all who loved them.

And nearly ten years later
There is still talk
About gun control, background checks,
Semi-automatics, magazine clips,
Mental health, security.

Yet a message is missing;
When will we believe
And share,
That God loves
Each and every one of us;
That we are made to his image;
That God has filled our hearts
With his love;
That our children
Look to us—
Parents,
Teachers,
Clergy,
Civic leaders,
To show them
How to love?
When will we stand up to say
That a child’s life—
A gang member’s life--
A spouse’s life--
Is worth more
Than the $.65 cost
Of an AR-15 bullet?
When will we model
Respect and tolerance
For people of a different
Race,
Religion,
Nationality,
Language?
When will we teach
That there is more to life
Than Power,
Prestige,
Possessions?
Who is there
To offer a simple hug
So necessary
For the human heart?
When will we teach
That a life filled
With caring and sharing,
Love and compassion,
Is the true measure
Of one’s character?

We ask for the Lord’s blessings
For the children and adults
In Uvalde, Texas
And for all who have died
By gun violence all over this land;
And for the courage
To proclaim
That each one of us
Is treasured
In God’s eyes;
That we are precious
Because we have life
To cherish and to share in love.

--Joe Bartok