And Then There Was Darkness

/ howardshapiro

(I wrote this yesterday as a meditation before lighting the lights of Shabbat and I read it at Temple Israel last night. Eileen said I should post it on my blog. It is always good to listen to Eileen.)

And then there was darkness. Banners waving; Flags burnished; T-shirts announcing they came to destroy our democracy.

They came on foot and they came with the urging of a man we are ashamed to call President. They came marching and chanting and they mounted the steps and they climbed the walls and they breached the fence. The barricades of decency destroyed.

And then there was darkness. The domed sanctuary to our freedom defiled by their anger, their hate, their venom poisoning the electoral process. Their truth the lies of a political expediency.

They came marching and chanting. And they broke the police lines and they shattered the sacred halls of liberty and they leered into their cameras calling themselves Patriots.

And then there was darkness.. And slowly reinforcements arrived. And belatedly the National Guard was called up. And step by step and bit by bit they were gently

Too gently

Pushed back and the mob dissipated into the night where they find a comfortable refuge. And the darkness became light. And the House of the People went back to do its work. The darkness became light when in the earliest of hours a glimmer of hope as a new President and Vice President were certified, announced, anointed.

Liberty was proclaimed throughout this broken land and we began to breathe again. Slowly and filled with worry but breathing. Astonished and full of questions and concerns, but breathing, heartbroken and might I say: angry.

But the darkness became light.

With this as our prayer, with this as our hope this glimmer, this spark, this turn toward the moon and the sun let us say these familiar words finding in them comfort and strength.

Let us kindle these holy flames and with them let us welcome Shabbat.

May its radiance illumine our hearts.

22 thoughts on “And Then There Was Darkness”

  10. Yes, Eileen was right. Just listened to services from last night and your sermon was beautiful. I shared with my family. Can’t wait to watch Soul now.

    Like

    Reply

  11. First, thank you Eileen.  As Jewish history shows us, behind every good and/or successful man is a strong woman noodging him.  Perhaps that is what is lacking in our current climate.These words of Rav  Chiam are an underscoring of the darkness that humanity, with too much regularity, brings upon itself.  What has happened in the last few years, months days and hours have, sadly been a repetition of the ancient and not so ancient past.  The darkness comes….the darkness goes.  The recriminations come …. the recriminations go.  The only new thing is the immediacy of the masses learning of the happenings.  The stark images are only minutes or even seconds old before being thrust before us.  In retrospect we are wallowing in our own ineptitude or at our inaction during the prelude leading up to this moment.  Clearly we have 20-20 hindsight intellectually and politically.  Are we doomed to this journey time and time again?  Sadly, history has shown us the answer is a resounding “YES”.  We are living proof of the adage that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  It is apparent that even the wise men that do learn are also doomed. Civilizations have come and gone.  We take pleasure in visiting their ruins.  We tour the destroyed castles, temples, fortresses, statues and capitol buildings  Sadly, another structure can be added to the list.  As we stand wallowing in circumspection,  we certainly can’t help but bring to mind…         “Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,”
    l Let us hope that once again there will be light out of the darkness.
    Shalom  and Amen
    Larry

    Like

    Reply

  12. Great statement. Thank you. Happy, healthy 2021!JimWe have a real enemy and it is the virus…Jim SugarmanCertified Life Coach/CEO Mentor/Nonprofit Consultant JimmieSugarman@gmail.com 561-762-3818As you can be anything in the world, be kind. 

    Like

    Reply

  16. Howard Just read this. Beautiful Powerful Terrible Hopeful Thanks, Fred Keep em coming. You write so well.

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment