Lament & Action
Dear Resurrection,
I know many of us have been deeply troubled by the news of ICE brutality and violence recently unfolding in Minneapolis. For Black and brown communities, state violence like this is devastatingly familiar—not new, but part of a long, painful history. We have seen the government's reckless brutality against the most vulnerable of our neighbors and those who amplify their cry for justice in the streets. The murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have deeply grieved me, as I'm sure they have you.
In our grief, let us turn to lament—praying to God and crying out for mercy. And as we lament, may God transform our grief into a living hope. In 1980, Saint Romero preached of this hope:
"That is the hope that inspires Christians. We know that every effort to better society, especially when injustice and sin are so ingrained, is an effort that God blesses, that God wants, that God demands of us."
Christian hope is not naive, nor is it rooted in partisan viewpoints. Our hope is grounded in the risen Christ who defeated sin and death and now lives and reigns. It's a hope that takes concrete action in defense of the vulnerable and inspires Christians to carry out our baptismal covenant to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." Christian hope binds lament and action together.
This lament and action may put us at risk, but more importantly, it places us firmly in the way of Jesus—participating in the liberating work of God and joining the company of saints who have gone before us. As our presiding bishop Sean Rowe recently wrote:
"Carrying out the simple commands of Jesus—feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, visiting prisoners, making peace—now involves risks for the church and grave danger for those we serve. As Christians, we must acknowledge that this chaos and division is not of God, and we must commit ourselves to paying whatever price our witness requires of us."
Our response together:
To give space for lament, encourage one another, and discern our collective action, we are hosting a gathering this Sunday at 11:20, after Holy Eucharist. We will break into smaller groups to reflect on the "Prayer for the Oppressed" (below) as a guide. Then we will assemble and share resources to help our community respond together. Please join us if you can.
In the days ahead, I encourage you to:
Pray for those who have died, their families, and those who suffer
Pray for those living in fear, loneliness, and hopelessness
Pray that the church would have the courage to bear witness to the power of God's love
Pray that our government would do the work of repair and provide a fair and just society for all people
Check on your neighbors, especially those feeling unsafe, and express care and love
Join me in prayer:
"Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." —BCP 826
Peace,
Shawn+
