We know that faith does not exempt us from sorrow
or shield us from evil;
we know that; we know, too,
that the earth is wet with the blood of the innocent
but why this? Why now? Why?
Know this, God, know this;
if faith were dependent on feelings,
if our trust in You were no more than
a matter of mind, we would be done with You,
done with You now, done with You forever.
And hear this, God, hear this:
if it were not for that man
who was a friend of the poor and the damned
for that man who healed the sick
and gave sight to the blind;
if it were not for that man
whom we cursed and crucified,
and who who is crucified still,
for that man who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows,
and who carries them still;
God, God eternal, God of Jesus,
God who said Yes to his life,
his love, his suffering, his death,
God of the cross, crucified God
sharing our pain, bearing our sin,
if it were not, O God, for You,
for You our lover, You our judge,
You our hope, You our friend,
we would indeed be lost.
God of Christ,
God who raised him from the dead,
God with whom life can begin again,
come to them now, hold them, help them, heal them,
for You and You alone are our salvation.
-A lament excerpt adapted from Gathering from Worship (320)