It’s not that we don’t care, God.

Of course we care about people in Morrocco

What kind of monsters would we be to not be horrified that the death toll from the earthquake is almost up to 3000 people. 3000!

On this day when we commemorate the largest loss of life on American soil, our siblings in Morocco–a country far smaller than ours–is about to eclipse that record.

Of course we care, but we admit that our care is fleeting.

It’s just SO far away and there are so many problems and crises and disasters right here in our own country, in our own backyards and right under our noses that we don’t have the bandwidth to care too long for people whose lives are lived in what feels like a different world.

It’s easy to let go of our empathy for a place we didn’t even know how to spell correctly a couple of days ago.

Restore our humanity

Deliver us from compassion fatigue

Infuse us with hope when we give into despair

Help us to remember that small gifts, small acts and even short prayers make a difference.

Do not let us close our eyes to the pain in this world and empower us with the vision to help transform it.

Amen.

---

Rev. Anne Russ is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), currently based in New York City. Doubting Believer provides tools and encouragement for the rollercoaster ride of your faith journey. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and YouTube. You can also follow on TikTok. Get emails to keep up with all that is happening.