Dear members and friends of Holy Trinity and Lutheran Campus Ministry,
I wanted to share with you some heartfelt feelings and pastoral reflections in the wake of political violence and the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. My initial feelings and thoughts were that of horror, grief and sadness that someone thought this was an option for political change.
We all know that polarization, divisiveness and toxic discourse have been on the rise for several years. Not only on the political sphere, but also within religion, within the Church, and darn it… even in geek-culture discussing fun things like Star Wars. Differences of opinion and different ideas of how to live in community with one another on the County, State and National level of government have become ideological walls that seem taller and impenetrable by the day. What happened last Saturday is another example of the breakdown in democratic dialogue and the growing inability to articulate ideas that lead to the flourishing of our common life together. This breakdown has led some to resort to violence and the harming of others.
Violence and the harming of another human being created in the image of God is never the answer. As followers of Jesus, I challenge us to revisit and meditate on the Beatitudes and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in its entirety. (Matthew 5-7)
And let us remember, right before he was arrested Jesus told Peter to put his sword away. (Matthew 26:51-52, John 18:10-11)
I don’t want to go down the road of “proof texting” theological ideals. And I am self-aware of my own privilege. There are indeed times to stand up for what is right, to lift our voices and our vote, and even resist and protest what is wrong and unjust. And yet, I firmly believe… …violence is the disease, not the cure.
Yes, Jesus flipped over tables of injustice, but he also sat at more tables than he did flipping.
We decry the violence, we shake our heads, the anxiety and weight of the world grow. All the while I continue to lose faith that a political leader, or a news outlet, or witty meme can solve these systemic problems.
And so, what can we do in the days and months ahead of us?
How can we break this cycle?
I offer just a few suggestions that are not anything new or groundbreaking, but perhaps they can help us refocus and help us navigate all this together.
Take a moment to just breathe… slow down and just take a breath.
Yep, pause right now and just breathe… (did you do it? If so, do it again)
Be mindful of your breath and the oxygen moving through your lungs.
Take a moment to give thanks for the gift of your breath and the life God has gifted you with. As you breathe remember that God is the one breathed life into creation, into you, into your neighbor, and even into the one who votes differently than you do. Even with tall walls, we breathe the same air.
Pray… I know “thoughts and prayers” has become cliché and a phrase we can roll our eyes at, and yet I still believe in prayer. In any authentic relationship honest and open communication is vital. So, pour your heart out to God and make sure you take time to listen to God’s response. God just may pour God’s heart out to you, maybe not in some loud audible voice, but in a surprising sign or person or means of grace around you.
Limit… your consumption of news cycles and social media memes and message boards that lust for “reactions” and who want to monetize your attention and energy. Sure, stay informed, don’t stick your head in the sand and ignore important issues and events, but fight the urge to have it consume or possess you. Take breaks from TV and scrolling on your phone and go outside. Make a connection with a real person (see the next italicized point). Notice the breeze in the trees, the way your dog looks at you, and the ecosystem around you. Take time to reach out to a friend or neighbor and send them a message that you are thinking about them and holding them close in prayer. Lets remind one another we are not alone.
Engage… of course vote in November, but also take time to pull up a chair at a friends or neighbors “table” and have conversations that build up relationships. Online videos and posts and memes are a part of our lives and are not going anywhere, but also make sure you engage with people face to face. As my campus pastor said many years ago, “it’s hard to hate up close.” This fall our congregation will engage in a book study and remind one another we are in all this together. I hope you can not only read the summer book reading but also gather with us in-person this September to discuss it together. I hope you can gather with us for Faith Formation opportunities and “God’s Work Our Hands” projects this fall. I believe these faith formation opportunities are vital to our personal health and our health as a community of faith.
And then take a breath and pray again… In other words, wash, rinse, and repeat in the baptismal waters of God’s grace and mercy for you and all created in the image of God.
I shared with our Call Committee, Church Council, Church Staff and our new Campus Pastor that this fall will be an exciting time for our congregation. We are a healthy faith community with many members pulling together using our gifts to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. I am so proud of our congregation in so many ways. I have also been honest and shared that I am not naive that this fall and November could be a really heavy one regardless of who is elected locally and nationally. As we saw last Saturday with the assassination attempt, things could unravel fast. Chaos and confusion and violence could erupt at any moment. That is why we need to be realistic, on guard, prepared and poised to respond and act as faithful followers of Jesus. That is why we do this thing called faith together, in community, learning and growing from Jesus and one another.
Let us not wait until November to react to breaking news or lament how someone voted different than us. Let us practice and posture ourselves now, today and tomorrow how we desire the world to be. A world of justice, love, grace, forgiveness and mercy. We pray even harder, “Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.” And as we pray we turn to our neighbor as God’s work is embodied in our hands.
I covet your prayers as I continue to discern how to engage in leadership in our community and sourrounding neighborhoods. Pray for me, our church staff, and the local clergy in our community as we seek to be faithful followers of Jesus and make a difference in the world were we live, play and work.
And as always, my door is always open and my phone is always on for discussion, discernment, and prayer if you want to meet up for a coffee, beer, or to pull up a chair at a table. All tables are altars, all tables are sacred.
In all this with you,
Pastor Will
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