It is Holocaust Memorial Day today, and I have not long returned from a service of Remembrance of Untold Stories.  There are barely any words that can hold how I respond to such evil and such pain. Only tears and prayer. Tears for God’s pain – who didn’t see only two dimensional pictures, but who held each life in love.  The only words are the closing prayer of the service, expressing forgiveness. Forgiveness is the only way out of this incomprehensible darkness. The candle of light, the darkness cannot overcome.

This prayer was found scrawled on a piece of wrapping paper in the Ravensbruck Concentration camp, near the dead body of a child.

Lord,

Remember not only the men and women of good will

but all those of ill will.

Do not only remember all the sufferings they have subjected us to.

Remember the fruits we brought forth thanks to this suffering-

– our comradeship

-our loyalty

-our humility

our courage and generosity

-the greatness of heart that all of this inspired.

And when they come to judgement

let all those fruits we have borne

be their reward

and their forgiveness.

AMEN.