I WAS JUST THINKING…
The music was so poignant that I got tears in my eyes. “Crying ‘Jesus help me,’” made my very skin crawl and my determination to do something about it get far more advanced than it had been. I was listening to a selection that the East Hill Singers had on their program, a piece called “A Prayer for Children.” Here is how it goes:
“Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee in the shadow of an unknown room,
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry,
Turning heavenward toward the light.
Crying ‘Jesus help me to see the morning light one more day,
But if I should die before I wake, I pray my soul to take.’
Can you feel the hearts of the children,
Aching for home, for something of their very own.
Reaching hands with nothing to hold on to
But hope for a better day, a better day?’
Crying, ‘Jesus help me to feel the love again in my own land,
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm.’
Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for the silence of the shattered world.
Angry guns preach the gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands.
Crying ‘Jesus help me to feel the sun again on my face,
For when the darkness clears I know you’re near, bringing peace again.’
Can you hear the prayer of the children?”
So little is left to say after this prayer. Oh, you say, but the ones who pray this prayer are but children. They do not know how the “real world” works. They do not yet have a feel for how much of the world is run by guns and warships and armaments. They do not know how to shoot and maim and kill. They are not yet schooled in AK47’s and weaponry. And yet, we follow a Savior whose words to us were , “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become as little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3 NRSV)
What if we were to take seriously the “peace position” of the Church of the Brethren? What if we were to spread around the world the hope that a prayer such as this would never again need to be spoken? What if we could live in peace and harmony? What if????
Sonja Griffith
District Executive Minister