Thoughts and Prayers

09Sep
I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you. I said, “Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.” But truly it is the spirit in a mortal, the breath of the Almighty, that makes for understanding. It is not the old that are wise, nor the aged that understand what is right. Therefore I say, “Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.
-Job 32:6-10


Thoughts and prayers. 


On the surface, who doesn’t appreciate that sentiment? Except when it starts to ring hollow by Americans who wring their hands in frustration after yet another senseless murder in a school. After every school shooting, The Onion posts the same “satirical” headline: “No way to prevent this, says the only country where this regularly happens.” Can we pass meaningful legislation? Common sense background checks? Removal of guns from a home when credible threats have been made? Red flag laws? Nah, just thoughts and prayers. 


Being from Georgia, my mind has been so focused on the latest school shooting-so much so that I nearly forgot to write the devotional this week. I tried to avoid writing about my anger until I read the Daily Lectionary with the above Bible verse, and was like, "alright God. You got it. If I don’t speak up, who will? Let me be an instrument of Your peace". 


In 1999, when the Columbine shooting happened, I was a junior in high school. In 2007, I was a 3L in law school, and I wrote my capstone paper on common sense measures we can employ to stop school shootings. In 2018, one of my former roommates was horrified to learn that her alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was the scene of yet another notorious school shooting. Now in 2024, my four-year-old daughter has been practicing active shooter drills in her early education program. Nothing has changed, except the trauma has compounded. Also, Columbine wasn’t even the first school shooting - just arguably one of the most famous ones.


Over 20 years later, according to a well researched article published by the Washington Post this morning, there have been over 416 school shootings with over 382,000 students in attendance during those shootings in their schools. That’s roughly the population of New Orleans collectively cowering in fear, listening to the moans of the dying, wondering when the next ricochet of a bullet will ring in their ears, breathing as quietly as possible to not be found, praying that law enforcement will arrive soon, and texting their mothers that they love them. This number only reflects schools: not the thousands of murders that have also occurred in homes, workplaces, malls, libraries, movie theaters, restaurants, concerts, and places of worship. Personally, I have lost 1 friend to gun violence, 2 friends to suicides by gun, and I had to take a break from the practice of law in 2012 following a client’s death by a gun.


In a country where we claim to worship God and claim to value life, but look the exact opposite way when it comes to children and teachers being murdered where they should be safe…it can come as no surprise that a child who is literally named after a gun (Colt) is given a gun for Christmas and then a few months later, proceeds to murder four people, seriously injure nine, significantly traumatize a student body and school employees numbering over 2000 people, and collectively horrify a nation (again). It doesn’t make sense to me that a holiday celebrating Christ’s birth to save all of us should be celebrated with the gift of a weapon that can only be used to hurt, injure, maim, and kill others. Let’s support our “thoughts and prayers” with meaningful action.


Musical Reflection - Bertrand Chamayou records Ravel's Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess)


God of our Fathers and Mothers: God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel. Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name. Amen.

-Collect from Eucharistic Prayer C

DeathAuthorityCompassionHealingVulnerability

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