Do you ever find yourself grieving over life sometimes? Not grieving a loss or a failure..but a grieving of this life. I find myself there occasionally!

I am reminded of a friend that prays for patience when it comes to this life. It’s hard to not long for eternity..and when she spoke those words they made perfect sense to me. This friend sees a lot of  life’s darkest moments. We all know that we live in a broken world, a place of darkness and greed. Turn on the news. It is apparent in the lives of the “least of these”. Remember them? The ones that Jesus charged us with taking care of and looking out for. Have we failed Him miserably? Have we failed them? In my recent travels I’ve talked to people who believe that when we love one another we don’t fail, they believe and see hope and a future. They see it more clearly than I am able to some days.

Sometimes, I have to close my eyes.  Sometimes, I cry from all the images and stories. Stories of cultures that slaughter little girls…for no other reason than they were born the wrong gender. Stories of children dying of malnutrition, dying from dehydration, from cholera, malaria, aids, typhoid. Stories of the millions of children that are stolen and sold into the sex slave trade.  Stories of women who are used up and thrown away or used as property or their voices silenced.

It seems like the most heinous crimes of this world are perpetrated against children and women.  Do you see them?

Who are their advocates, their protectors?

Who should it be?

Should it be Christ’s church?

Should it be those that call themselves Christians?

Should it be me…..? ….or you? …..or us?

Mother Teresa gives a very real glimpse through her eyes what this life can be…and I am learning…..

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”

…and only with Christ’s sacrifice, great love, and never ending grace does any of it make sense.