Maya’s Big Question…

At Sunday’s Silhouette Stage School show, groups of proud children had done their routines… In the darkness a small child steps up. The lights come up. It’s Maya. A small child on a huge stage. Maya sings beautifully, poignantly:  

Where is love?
Does it fall from skies above?
Is it underneath the willow tree
That I’ve been dreaming of?

Originally, it’s sung by Oliver, the orphan – no friends, no family, the abused, mistreated victim…

Maya asks Oliver’s big question – ‘Where is love?’

I came home and watched the news. Hamas has attacked Israel, invading Israel, launching a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares Israel at war against Hamas, Israeli forces have ramped up retaliatory efforts in Gaza, vowing to destroy the militant group and avenge the attacks…

Pictures of death and destruction, interviews with the distraught whose loved ones are missing.

Maya’s big question remains: ‘Where is love’.

At Men’s Shed yesterday the bacon rolls, the date and walnut cake had been eaten; the tea had been drunk. A group of us sat round the table – a milkman, a builder’s labourer, an NHS worker, a shopkeeper, a teacher…

Inevitably the discussion turned to religion… good natured, but serious… exceedingly passionate and robust… showers of expletives…

‘All religion does is causes war and bloodshed.’ ‘I can’t see any good in religion.’ ‘You can’t prove to me that there’s a God.’ ‘I can’t believe in a God who causes pain and suffering.’

Maya’s big question remained unasked, unanswered…

My friends made good points. I look at religion in general, Christianity in particular; I ask May’s big question…

…This morning I read Romans 13… ‘Let no debts remain except the continuing debt to love one another… Love does no harm to its neighbour… Let us put aside the deeds the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light… clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ…’

Maya’s big question: ‘Where is love?’ The answer starts with me.