the night is dark
and brings fear
as the coughing begins
as breathing is difficult
as the pain won’t subside
as the nightmares won’t leave
as negativity, political haranguing permeate social media
disguising hope

the night is quiet
eerily quiet
as people wait for the next explosion
as medications take effect
as the darkness enfolds

we must breathe
breathe for ourselves
breathe for those who cannot breathe
we must remember
remember the quietness of God’s peace for ourselves
remember the quietness of the Holy One’s love for others
remember that when the night is dark in one place in the world
the night is light in another place in the world
remember that when the night seems hopeless in one place
hope is somewhere
prayer is always being offered somewhere
communion is always being offered somewhere

may we hold the light
for those who cannot breathe this night
may we say a prayer
for those who cannot sleep this night
may we hold hope
for those who cannot hope this night

there are signs of light for us
we might be signs of light for others
even though the night is dark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© June Maffin
https://soulistry.com/blog
www.medium.com/@junemaffin

The prayer on this photo (taken at Yellow Point Lodge on Vancouver Island) is from the New Zealand Book of Prayer: “The night is dark. Let our fears and darkness of the world and of our lives, res.t this night in God. The night is quiet. Let the quietness of God’s peace enfold us all.”