It was
Monday afternoon.
The sky
gray; the green earth
Uncovered
with dirt as a crowd gathered.
Rain
side-sputtered making the evening
Cold too
soon; not due just to temperature.
During
Mass, people respectfully listened
To the
Father speak some measure of hope.
With his
last commencements, scores followed
The casket
to the hill.
Tears
balanced not to overflow onto cheeks;
Jaws
clenched, and eyes forward.
A pain
felt that has been felt before…
Another
one gone…when does it end?
The people
were silent until the pallbearers laid
The final
bed to rest. It was then
After the
roses fell that tears became whimpers
Which
turned into loud cries.
A mother
carried her child, coddling a snack;
Too young
to realize that death is finite to the flesh.
In two
weeks’ time, there will have been three men buried.
None of
which were close to my father’s age.
And my
father’s not that old.
Before we
think of going off
Continuing
ideas of stereotypes due to
The
deprivation found on the Reservation,
Our sins
and struggles are no different than anothers’.
Perhaps it
is more common, and we are more honest.
It stares
at us more bluntly;
We are more
aware of its sinister grin.
Nevertheless,
I have seen the cyclical hurt,
And I will
not turn an ignorant eye to suit my comfort.
This is my
home. And though I am not of their
Nation;
They are
my people. Blood has been spilled,
Hope has
been choked for generations;
Anticipation
for better suffocated.
No more.
Though I
am not yet beyond tears,
My sorrow
has mixed with anger and frustration.
My heart
has become burdened.
The Land
has been spiritually trespassed upon –
Yet, I
remember that it is the one who curses
Who shall
be condemned.
The enemy
shall be resisted…
And he
shall flee.
This is
the hope I must hold onto.
Because
there is a darkness I have seen,
There is a
pain we have felt deeply.
It seems
to consume our hearts.
How long
can we bear the battering ram
Of death
knocking on our doors?
Not just
the literal, but also in the lacking
Will to
live…will to thrive.
And what
of the spiritual…hinted, but never spoken?
Oh God,
how long can we go on as we have?
Teens
attempt to expound on their lives
Getting
high by losing their minds
To a
substance that manipulates their judgment.
Needles
litter playgrounds and sidewalks;
Revealing
the constant mockery that all is not well,
For now.
Children
run around without the careful watch of those who bore them.
Abuse,
neglect is known of…but what can we do?
It is
desired more to stare in front of colorful screens,
Hoping for
a huge payout,
Than to
witness the pride in our youths’ accomplishments.
We have been
broken.
We are
tired; weary from the ongoing lashing
On our
hope for the future.
We have
cried with tears of sorrow,
Gritted
our teeth in anger for what the devil has enjoyed
Destroying.
We have
had enough.
No more.
God, our
souls groan within us
For the
redemption of creation.
We
pray! We pray!
Jesus,
come into our land;
Only by
Your blood can we be saved!
Invade the
obscure corners that hide
The death
rampant on our streets.
God, will
You please breathe life
Into the
Sleeping Giants in the North?
Awaken
their souls that have long become dormant;
Numbed to
the repetitive rut. It does not have to
remain as such.
Draw this
people to You.
Remind
them that they are not excluded
From the
inheritance found in Christ.
Make it
known in their hearts
The height
The depth
The width
The length
Of Your
love for the world
Including
them.
They are
not reserved to be forgotten, Jesus.
Reveal to
them that You are mindful of them,
And You love
them to a maximum that is immeasurable.
Holy
Spirit, come quickly.
Our
situation is dire; do not tarry.
Reverse
the weeds of the enemy
Which were
sown to steal away
A people
You have called.
There has
been enmity between the race of man and the snake
Since the
beginning of time.
We were
created in Your image;
A daily
reminder of the One who sits on the heavenly throne.
Deception
laid in wait to seethe a relinquishing of Life.
And he has
drawn blood;
And oh! How we have fallen. Manipulated our nature
To not
mirror Your own. What wretchedness to be repented…
There is a
darkness. Yes, I have seen it.
Yet
because of Your death, a new nature imputes in us;
Your
kingdom courses within us.
Every time
that we, Your children, go into the world,
This
darkness has been penetrated.
That snake
has been finished.
Christ
sent, laid His foot upon his neck;
Overcame
the night, dispersed His light.
Yes, my
heart has been burdened
Concerning
the things I have witnessed.
Blood has
been shed for generations.
To the
natural eye, there seems to be no end.
And yet…
Yet is a
key word in the vocabulary of heaven.
With Jesus’
sacrifice, He has already won.
Though the
enemy seeks to encamp around my people;
Smothering
them with discouragement and loss-
We do not
fear, for greater is He who is in us…
An Army of
Fire surrounds the troops of hell.
Blood has
been spilled, and so we are out for blood.
However,
our battle is fought on our knees,
Imploring
our Father to move His hand
For the
natives of this land.
Yes, my
heart has been burdened.
But I
remember
That the
one who cursed my loved ones
Shall be
condemned.
He will be
resisted;
He will
flee.
Amen. [1]
[1]
Other verses to be noted: Ephesians 1:1-21; Ephesians 3:17-19; Ephesians 6:10;
James 4:7; Jeremiah 33:3; 1 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Kings 6:8-17
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