Grieving

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” Mark 10:18-28

Grieving

O, tender Lord, we are grieving
so many have been lost so far
there is so much more to come
sacrifice and loss and changes.

Today, we cannot bear these
seeing our normal life destroyed
a silent killer among us all
and we are daily feeling helpless.

Our brilliance and our possessions
our skill and knowledge too
cannot prevent the wave of plague
and we know so clearly we are mortal.

Loving God, with you nothing is impossible
in you we are sheltered despite the horror
help us to let go of what others need
help us to love and give in new ways
that we might know your presence again
so love might flourish among us now. Amen