Things To Think About

These are the lyrics of a song written by Francis Patric O'Brien in 2002, "In a Time of Pain"

In a time of pain when confusion reigns, will you hear our burning cry?
When the wound won't heal as the truth's revealed, when our anguish just won't die:
Come save us as you saved your Son, who was faithful to the end.
God of justice reign; through our sin and shame
be salvation, God, and friend.

When our leaders fail, when the dark prevails, be the path that will guide our way.
When our anger burns may we strive to learn to reveal the light of day.
Come save us as you saved your Son; in your truth we will be set free.
Teach us how to deal with the hurt we feel;
may we rise from this Calvary.

When the weakest ones have no place to run from the terror that haunts their days,
Who will give them peace, make their nightmares cease? Who will drive their dark away?
Come save us as you saved your Son, who embraced each child in pain.
May your healing balm bring a peace and calm
that will make us whole again.

Teach us what is just and in whom to trust; by your wisdom we will abide.
May the ones with pow'r, in this crucial hour, seek the Spirit as their guide.
Come save us as you saved your Son from corruption's deadly toll.
May we rise at last from our shadowed past
with your love as our guide and goal.

In a note at the end of the score, O'Brien writes: In this time of crisis in the church, many have found that, once again, music and lyrics have the power to confront and to heal. This text was written as a prayer to our good and gracious God to express the confusion, pain, and other emotions that well up within so many in these difficult days in the Catholic community. It is also intended to be a prayer of hope that our church may confront the darkness and move toward the light of Christ, which is our goal and guide.

At least for now, I think I'll leave it at that.