Prayer

 

Yesterday's heartbreaking, soul aching shooting of innocent children at a school in Uvalde, TX leaves us all grieving. This follows last week's racially motivated shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo. I woke up this morning with a heavy heart for parents who now are planning funerals and frustration at leaders who refuse to pass legislation that, while may not stop this epidemic, could help. With the psalmist I find myself crying out, "How long, O God". I can feel inept and powerless and even discouraged that I could make a difference.

But then I remember the Hebrew concept of Tikkun olam ~ literally means the healing of the world. There are so many beautiful stories about how in the beginning the light or spark of God was shattered into a thousand shards and settled into every - all - living beings. Our call in the world is to not just let our light shine, but to join with the lights of countless other people that we might collaborate with our still Creating God in healing this broken, bruised, grieving world. It is a calling we may not complete in our live time, nor can we stop sharing and shining as long as we have breath.

On Sunday, we invite you to wear ORANGE to honor the children in Texas and our African-Americans brothers and sisters shot in Buffalo. We wear ORANGE because every day 35 people are killed with a gun, more than any other country in the world! We wear ORANGE because we believe God is calling us to help in the healing and restoration of this world.

Please pray with me:

God wrap Your loving embrace around all families who are grieving today, especially the families in Texas and Buffalo. God inspire and infuse our imagination to work toward a world where such stories don't happen every day. Let our heartbreak turn to hard work. Let our frustration guide us to meaningful action. Let Your presence move us deeper in the holy work of creating a world where the shards of light come together. Hold all those whose hearts are heavy and help open the ears of those who can make a change and inspire us to cry out for Your justice here on earth. In the name of the Light of the World, Jesus the Christ. Amen.