Faith & Reflection: Voices from the Black Church and Beyond
- When Love is dismissed, Evil gains ground; Love must be imperative to prevent spiritual and societal decay.
- Consolidated power and sidelined counsel, courts co-opted, and oath to the Constitution ignored enable systemic harm.
- Militarism and ego-driven leadership produce unnecessary war, long rebuilding, and global suffering; compassion and wisdom are lacking.
- Hope resides in God and Jesus; spiritual renewal and Love guide toward peace and the common good.
“When Evil Has Its Way”
When Love is not imperative,
When Love has been dismissed,
When Love is not our way of life
Evil has its way.
When we think we don’t need others,
When we think we are superior,
When selfish interest has precedence,
Evil has its way.
When controlling others is priority,
When domination is our goal,
When assertion of power is means,
Evil has its way.
When our faith’s the power of violence,
When our trust is in our weaponry,
When we rely on military prowess,
Evil has its way.
When Law is disregarded,
When laws are used to get around them,
When the courts have been co-opted,
Evil has its way.
When the system no longer serves the people,
When the people’s representatives won’t intervene,
When the people’s voice is disregarded,
Evil has its way.
When an oath to the Constitution is not binding,
When sacred duties are not upheld,
When accountability is of no account,
Evil has its way.
When power is consolidated,
When decision-making is in one person’s hands,
When expertise and wise counsel are sidelined,
Evil has its way.
When corporations are intimidated,
When free press is no longer free,
When society has been made fearful,
Evil has its way.
When government cares little about its people,
When the most needy are cast aside,
When social services become dispensable,
Evil has its way.
When the rights of the people are violated,
When armed forces act with impunity,
When lives have become expendable,
Evil has its way.
When religion is used as a pawn,
When its truth has been bastardized,
When Love is no longer our faith and commitment,
Evil has its way.
And when Evil has its way,
All Hell breaks loose…….
Evil has its way,
When Love is not imperative,
When Love has been dismissed,
When Love is not our way of life.
What Now?
What now?
What next?
As I turn on news to see,
A war in process, unnecessarily.
Unpredictable as they all are,
Especially without a plan.
Wars don’t go as planned anyhow,
Except to guarantee pain.
As we are seeing,
With more destruction, death to come,
Effecting the whole world,
Because we are inseparably one.
A World War different
From those of the past,
For now, anyhow,
As war’s repercussions outlast
Would be cessations.
Even if they come soon,
Now years in the rebuilding,
Civil structures we have doomed.
To what end we ask,
This war of pretentious might?
Foolish from the beginning,
Symptom of an ego’s manic plight.
Of a democratic system undermined,
Dismissed, even as dismantled,
From an enemy within,
On one man’s orders.
Who lacks the compassion,
The knowledge, the wisdom,
Necessary for good leadership
Of anyone in those positions.
Who know not the Christ
Deep within them animating,
A Love of boundless loving,
Capable of such good, longing.
So, now we’re on the precipice
Of a global nightmare, disaster,
That military force can’t solve,
Only add to the chaos, pain lasting.
For many years to come,
Such is the damage done.
What happens when Power is king,
When elected officials, about it, do nothing.
The signs of intent have long been with us,
Broadcast in plain sight.
That we couldn’t see this coming,
Reflects our moral-spiritual plight.
Perhaps we’re in a womb
And not in the dark of a tomb.
It is a hopeful thought.
But like war, guarantee’s naught.
Yet, hope is in the Lord,
At work in our hearts still,
At work in our wounded world,
Intent on winning us to Love.
God has shown us the Way in Jesus,
To peace and the good of all.
Loving one another the Way
Humanity is blessed after all.
BIO: John Hardman-Zimmerman: New friends we meet, you and I. So, let me introduce myself a bit.
I’m living in south-central PA with my wife, Sue, and our beloved Sheepadoodle, Matilda. About three months ago I had a surprising upwelling of poetry writing, which continues.
As I said to my wife just yesterday, “Now you have something to say at my funeral!”
My background is as a pastor and hospice chaplain. My poetry the expression of what I’ve gleaned. I hope it inspires you in your integrating of life as you’ve been experiencing it.
Blessings to you all.
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