For this week's Pondering, I thought I'd share with you some personal feelings and thoughts about the most recent school shooting. I'll begin by listing for you a prayer petition I wrote for worship last Sunday:
"O God of Mercy: we come to church this day with such heaviness in our hearts for the shattered lives and the grieving people of Parkland, Florida. Use the loving and caring helpers - counselors, doctors, teachers, nurses, law enforcement, parents, faith communities - to assist those who are suffering with pain and fear. As for our country, Lord, give us your wisdom and grace to go beyond sharing our thoughts and prayers - to find the courage to go further in insisting that we take necessary steps to help solve the endemic problems that we face, especially in regards to pervasive violence among our people and our nation. Grant lawmakers, peace-keepers, and community activists a path forward to help end all these hellacious school shootings."
As I prayed this prayer, I harbored a concern that some in our congregation might be worried that I am wading into political waters. Please know that's not my intent. I really don't think this whole issue has to be reduced to a partisan stand-off, for that has already been happening and it gets us nowhere. I'm guessing that our own congregation might mirror the nation with people feeling one way or another on the issue of gun rights, school safety, gun control, and the purchasing of weapons. But I am confident that we are all in unison in our fears and worries about school shootings. All of us are white-knuckling it now, waiting for the next awful news story to drop where this will happen, all over again.
I have written prayers. I have spoken with so many people. I have listened to speakers on these issues, and had impassioned conversations within my household, and among friends. I have counseled people, especially parents of school-aged children. I have cried for our country. I have seethed in anger over the hopelessness that surrounds the frustrating, entangled issues around school shootings.
I speak to you as a Pastor, yes, but also as a man, a husband of a teacher, and a father who has children yet in school. I speak to you as a Christian, a neighbor, and a citizen of our nation. I want you to know I stand with you in your shock and horror, your tears and your frustrations. I hear and agree with the prophetic leader of Sojourners (Christian social justice organization), Jim Wallis, who wrote,
"Thoughts and prayers are absolutely needed...but praying is not enough; and it's way past time to turn our prayers into action. ...I believe that we should call out ourselves and our churches to uphold life by holding their elected officials responsible and accountable for this extreme and senseless gun violence that no other country in the developed world has. This is not a political issue, but a moral crisis that must call out the nation literally to repentance - which means to turn around. So help us God."
(Find his whole article at
sojo.net under the title, "Uphold Life.")
So what am I asking myself to do? What might I even be asking you to do? I know we'll never eradicate evil things from happening, but I do believe there are things we can do to make it much more difficult for evil things to happen so easily. So in your own way, following the dictates of your own heart and how the Gospel impacts that heart, figure out extra steps to take beyond praying. For the best prayers always get our feet moving, don't they?
Beth and I are following the work of, and making donations to, Gabby Gifford's organization, Americans for Responsible Solutions; but there are many other groups trying to make positive change too. My son, Bergen, as a Youth Director, works hard to honestly and openly engage with students in his church and in the local schools, being willing to talk to them, no matter where they stand on issues. Maybe you'll want to write a letter to your representative. Maybe this issue will affect your own voting profile. Maybe you are joining up with an anti-violence organization. And maybe you'll take a stand for promoting peace.
And then definitely pray. Prayers and thoughts are great first reactions and first steps. Talk with and engage others sincerely, kindly. Listen, and seek common ground, while avoiding snap judgements against others. Let's try hard to not let it calcify into some political stand-off, but treat it as a moral crisis in our time. We as Christians, we as citizens, we as caring people have a stake in how we help solve this tremendously difficult problem. We will together foster the faith that God's wisdom will prevail for us, and for our nation.
Seeking hope and faith, I'll see you in church
