Mourning roses cast by sympathizers float in the lake near the island of Utoya, Norway, Sunday, July 24, 2011.
(AP/Frank Augstein)
- Prayer of St. Francis
- Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
- Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
- Where there is injury, pardon.
- Where there is doubt, faith.
- Where there is despair, hope.
- Where there is darkness, light.
- Where there is sadness, joy.
- O Divine Master,
- grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
- to be understood, as to understand;
- to be loved, as to love.
- For it is in giving that we receive.
- It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
- and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
This post is heartily dedicated to a dear blog friend from Norway, Felisol.
Watching from afar how a nation responds to cruelty and violence has brought so much healing to my heart.
It is a paradox. So many young lives were taken... and yet from my standpoint, so much life is being released.
The beautiful response of a nation in grief can teach the whole world many valuable lessons.
My dear friend Felisol, your pain reaches out to me, and I have shed tears with you these past days.
How your people have chosen to walk in the opposite spirit in response to the ugliness of hate and legalism... to mourn in dignity. What a lovely picture you have painted before a watching world.
It has brought much healing to the wounded areas of humanity's soul.
Rain to the hardened calloused places of our land.
I am praying that in the coming days, God's comfort will be poured over your heart, melt the coldness of frozen anger, as you release the pain to Him.
The Father knows and understands how you feel. This is not the way He planned for this world. He planned a world of love and peace - a world where shalom is the air we breathe and the song we sing.
But redemption is near. There is a coming eternal day when life will no longer be snuffed out in senseless acts of cruelty, and life will be what God intended it to be - sacred and celebrated.
But for now, let the tears flow. May they cleanse your people of the ugliness and the defilement of hate. We were not designed for this, but yes, our redemption draws near.
And in that hope we rejoice.
Maranatha, my dear Felisol. Maranatha.
photos taken from The Frame: Stunned Norway Mourns...
15 comments:
Dear Lidj,
Thank you for so many loving and healing words.
You know, when reflecting, I can clearly see we are a naive and almost spoiled people.
The thought of terrorism on Norwegian soil has been neglected, not because we are stupid, but because we deny to live in fear.
Why should we have a right to be spared, when a whole world is ridden by violence and blind terrorism?
The beautiful thing is that people from countries who have had worse mares for hundred of years, pity us and offer comfort.
I find that so incredibly moving.
And healing.
Our prime minister has said that Norway lost it's innocence and will never be the same after July 22nd.
The core of our democracy and individual freedom is threatened. Therefore the seven parties represented in the National Assembly will gather, not to find scape goats or let heads roll, but to see how our country can be governed and still keep our freedom.
We mourn over the meeting with naked evilness, but we fill the streets with flowers and candles instead of guns. This is also a strong signal to our ruling parties; don't even think of touching our freedom or democracy.
The royal family and the government are standing side by side, mourning and praying for peace.
(If you saw the video from the memorial service, it ended with our queen and king crying openly.)
One day at a time we must try to move forwards, but still the first thing we talk about when meeting friends, is what happened at Utoya.
When I wake up in the morning, not quite clear,I start with the feeling of undefined sorrow and ask myself; who is dead. Then the whole scenario is played over and over again.
My healing started when I was able to cry.
I pray for the survivors and for the relatives of the diseased that they may heal too, and that no contagious hatred will be spread into the future.
We still are a praying people, I hope that will not stop.
Again I thank you for prayers and spiritual support in times of evil.
Thank you Lidj for this beautiful post for Felisol. In my heart, Norway is my land too. How my mother would be grieving, as am I.
You have poured healing oil tonight, and I am also receiving it, with tears in my eyes. Yes, Norway is a land of proud and strong people, and even as my heart goes out to them all, I am so blessed by the way they are handlig such sorrow.
This was a real blessing.
xo
Hi Lidj,
I am at a loss of words to say about what happened in Norway except to cry out to our God for healing.
Come Lord Jesus, come!
God bless,
Ken
Lidj, I also am at a loss for words...this is so beautiful. Your words are healing to the spirit.
There is a deep, deep sorrow. I feel it. My God, what is wrong with people?
I didn't know that my brother's bro.in law lived close to the bombing site. I'm glad he was okay. Like what sister Felisol wrote: "they must have denied to live in fear" I feel that it is also the same feeling here in US that some do not believe that something like this will ever happen here. But it did...(9/11,etc...)
May God blanket Norway with His strength, comfort, love and peace at this difficult time. May His courage be ours to not lose the freedom we enjoy.
My email add. sister Lidj: sanrey91@aol.com
What a beautiful post, Lidj. thank you
Hi Lidj -
Thank you for this moving post for the dear people in Norway.
May our Lord heal their wounded hearts and envelop them in His comforting arms.
I praise God for gifting you with beautiful words to give in honour of those who died at the hand of this terrorist.
This is a horrible, dreadful thing to have happened. I too, pray God will minister to their hearts and heal this hole that has blown open.
Blessings,
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that prayer by st. francis says it all but unfortunately there's evil in the world....evil that cannot destroy unless we allow it. There are no words to say about what happened in Norway - a deep sadness....an ache that somehow as human beings.....God must cry when He sees. Hugs to you Lidj.....I'm glad you're here shining His Light.....
Prayers and thoughts for the affected in Norway.
Thank you.
Blessings,
Regina
My dear sister Lidj, Thank you for this beautiful tribute to Felisol and the people of Norway. We live in a fallen world, but we as Christians
are called to be lights in the darkness. God collects our tears and he will bring good out of this. I love Felisol's words, "My healing started when I was able to cry." May we all cry for our hurting world. One day God will dry all our tears.
Thank you for sharing this post Lidj..... I just finished reading Felisol's blog and I'm frozen with sadness...yet {she} her words were able to make me realize we are a world of hope.... prayer....healing.... we must be there for one another. Hugs to you and your friend Felisol.
Love&Peace,
Lis
Thank you for writing this loving post, Lidj.
Yes and Amen...
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