Epiphany…

I turned on my telly to watch the news today,

and cozied up in my resting chair,

From one channel to the next, it was all the same:

hatred, chaos, death and despair.

I averted my eyes; I knew I’d seen enough.

I pressed a little button; the telly zapped off…

“There’s none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I lingered on.

I stepped outside my house to take a walk today,

but froze when I heard something moan.

I searched; I looked and there behind my neighbor’s gate,

two boys pelted her poor dog with stones.

I averted my eyes, certain I’d seen enough.

Down the block, from where I stood, I spied the coffee shop…

“There’s none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I moved on.

I found myself at the city park today.

In the distance, an old lady was in tears.

Her wiry finger pointed at an approaching lad;

for in his hands, he was clutching her purse.

I averted my eyes; in my mind, I’d seen enough.

Pity stirred in my heart; I let out a dry cough…

“There is none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I walked on.

I sat behind my desk to read the Bible today,

and opened to “Hebrews” as guided by the Maker.

“Let brotherly love continue…”  Chapter 13 vs. 1 says

“…Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers.”

I thought back to my neighbor’s dog; its pain seared my thoughts…

I thought back to the stolen purse and the thief I could’ve easily caught…

I thought back to the news reports about which I didn’t pray…

I thought back to a suffering world, and efforts I’d refused to make…

I averted my eyes; you could tell I’d read enough.

My guilty conscience emerged; the blow it dealt me was rough.

“There’s none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I wept on.

--- Imago Dei