I’ve been casting around looking
for a verse from the Psalms for today’s reflection, yet here it is almost 4 pm
and I’m torn about writing today, because my most fervent prayer at the moment
is that God save our country from the horror that we are facing at this time in
our history, and I have been determined that I would not write about current
events or politics in these reflections. But I’ve been sitting here at my
computer with psalm books and sources open around me, and I can’t manage to
free my mind from two things I read today in the news. And so I have to wonder
if this is what I’m meant to write about today.
Every day that goes by the
situation gets worse, as every day Donald Trump takes one more step towards
bringing us to the brink of what was happening in Germany in the 30’s last
century. And the thing that is the most frightening of all to me is that by and
large the people who support him so vehemently, including members of my own
family, are completely ignorant of what happened in Germany in the 30’s. Who
was it that said, “Those who are ignorant of history are bound to repeat it?”
And yet, in their ignorance,
hundreds of thousands of Americans are bringing us to that time. Two images
stand out for me today. The first is the sight of what happened the other night
in Florida when Trump got his followers to raise their right arms to pledge
that they would vote for him in the primaries. “Heil Trump.” Oh my God, no!
Haven’t any of those people seen the images of the Hitlerian rallies? Can’t
they realize that they are being duped into repeating the same images here and
now?
The second item was one that was
mentioned briefly in one of my news sources, claiming that Trump has declared
that Muslims should be made to wear identifying badges on their clothing. Not
yellow stars, but it might as well be.
Pray, my friends. Pray that our
system of government will be strong enough to withstand these attacks on
decency and sanity. Pray especially to mother Mary, who is the patroness of the
United States.
And please forgive me from
breaking my “no politics” rule, just this once.
The only scriptural passage I
have to offer you today is from Psalm 12:
Help, O Lord, for good men have vanished:
truth has gone from the sons of men.
What must the psalmist been
seeing when he was looking around and was inspired to write those words? I’m
beginning to come closer to understanding it. One thing that really horrifies
me (among many) is the knowledge that there are so many bigots and racists in
this country and that in Trump they are able to float their bigotry as a badge
of honor. I never realized before just how many of them there are and how
virulent their hatred. God help us.
And God bless us all.