Fourth of July 2015

I can’t keep their names straight

Anymore. I used to try. Now it feels hopeless.

I didn’t see Magic cringe

When Dylann entered the room to join the Bible Study.

I didn’t hear Mystery weep

The angels in the room wept

As parishioners warmly welcomed the white boy to sit.

The One who Weaves the Five Directions filled the room

A buffer of love in the midst of the carnage coming

As Dylann pulled his gun. Bullets. Confusion.

In their love

They moved to put their bodies between bullets and loved ones

Remembering centuries of whips and bullets and ropes

Taking the lives of their ancestors.

They wailed.

And spirit and mystery and magic wailed with them

Dylann’s destiny, already known to them, wrote itself in that church that evening.

Yet, from his hatred some courageous people made something else.

As they mourned their loved ones

They also prayed for Dylann and forgave.

Even as those powerful people turned hatred back into love,

The Great Weaver both sighed and cheered

With a heart torn by Dylann’s hatred.

Scars transformed into healing

By a community of love.

I can’t keep their names straight anymore. I used to try. It feels a bit hopeless.

Some of them are named Dylan, spelled any number of ways.

Fourth of July 2015

I didn’t see Magic cringe when Dylann entered the room to join the Bible Study. I didn’t hear Mystery weep at that moment. The angels in the room joined the weeping before the white boy even took his seat. The One who Weaves the Five Directions filled the room but did not stop Dylann. The spirit world allowed that abomination the same way they allowed our bombing and killing in Iraq where hundreds of thousands died by our hand. The Weaver and the angels and Magic and Mystery watched as the Middle East tumbled into chaos after our destruction in Iraq. Their cringing and weeping continue even now.

The Weaver did not create Dylann. We did. Magic and Mystery could not reach Dylann because we had already set his feet on a path of hatred and murder and destruction.

But, I know they did cringe and weep. Dylann’s destiny, already known to them, wrote itself in that church that evening. From his evil hatred some courageous and loving people made something else. Even as those powerful people turned hatred back into love, the Great Weaver both sighed and cheered with a heart torn by Dylann’s hatred and healed by a community of love.

God

Jesus

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier

Great Spirit

Spirit

The Divine

The Weaver

Weaver of the Five Directions

Great All