Five days ago in Tucson, Arizona six people were killed and 14 others wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona. These deaths and injuries occurred because of the violent actions of one man. Regardless of your political affiliation or citizenship status in this country, I invite you to take a few moments to consider these thoughts and prayers today.
Thoughts
Last night, President Obama started his speech with these words:
To the families of those we’ve lost; to all who called them friends; to the students of this university, the public servants gathered tonight, and the people of Tucson and Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today, and will stand by you tomorrow.
There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts. But know this: the hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn with you for the fallen. We join you in your grief. And we add our faith to yours that Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other living victims of this tragedy pull through.
Later in his address he said:
You see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations – to try to impose some order on the chaos, and make sense out of that which seems senseless. Already we’ve seen a national conversation commence, not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health systems. Much of this process, of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future, is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government.
But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized – at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do – it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.
Finally, toward the end of his remarks he said:
We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.
Prayer
On Monday, the Collegium of Officers of the United Church of Christ published this prayer:
God of justice and peace, we come with heavy hearts to lift up those involved in the shooting in Tucson this past weekend. We pray especially for those recovering from their wounds and for the families of those killed and injured. Grant them healing and strength, and sustain them in the days and weeks to come.
We cry out for a spirit of forgiveness. We cry out for mercy for the innocent. We cry out for understanding.
Help us find ways to disagree without resorting to violence. Teach us patience to wait in hope of your promised reign of peace – where anger is transformed into kindness and love. We join with other Americans, and those around the world, in the desire for a more perfect union and the high ideals to which we aspire.
Amen.
Note: The current members of the Collegium are General Minister and President the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, Associate General Minister Edith Guffey, Justice and Witness Ministries Executive Minister the Rev. Linda M. Jaramillo, Local Church Ministries Executive Minister the Rev. Stephen Sterner, and Wider Church Ministries Executive Minister the Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte.
So What?
Re-read the third excerpt above from Obama’s speech. As someone who resides within the US, do these words resonate? As someone who is a citizen of the kingdom/realm/reign of God?
I encourage you to take a few moments now to pray. I mentioned prayers as I started this post with the hope that the printed prayer penned by the Collegium would be a beginning place and that our individual prayers would follow.
In our praying and all of our living, may we be true to Christ. Amen.