People of God

Shamon Haretz: Merciful God, we commit our friends - Ben Zion and Krensky - to You. We have no more prayers, no more tears; we have run out of blood. Choose another people. We have paid for each of Your commandments; we have covered every stone and field with ashes. Sanctify another land. Choose another people. Teach them the deeds and the prophesies. Grant us but one more blessing: take back the gift of our holiness. Amen. – Jewish teacher presiding over a funeral for two men killed by Nazi patrols. From the movie "Defiance," 2008, Director: Edward Zwick.

God, I confess that, like this teacher, I want the blessings without the pain. I want to be part of the people of God without the sacrifice. How could it be otherwise? Yet, I pray that I might always accept every gift from your hand and walk on as your child.