Dear Friends in Christ,
What should I say? What should I do? Perhaps, like me, these questions have been going through your mind in recent weeks. The attack on Venezuela, the shootings by I.C.E. in multiple cities, the ongoing violence in Iran, Palestine, Israel, South Sudan, and Ukraine—we have been inundated with images of violence. Yet I write this from the comfort of my office, having driven safely to work this morning. There have been many statements from politicians, journalists, and regular citizens, well- attended protests and vigils, and now decreasing coverage as the attention-grabbing culture turns to the next bright and horrible thing.
On Sunday, we were reminded of the baptism of Jesus; perhaps you witnessed a baptism or renewed your baptismal covenant. In times such as these, there is nothing as important as returning to those promises (page 304 in the Book of Common Prayer) and discerning in them the answer to the questions of what we should say and what we should do. As your bishop, I am not so much asking you to do something new and different as I am reminding you to do what we have always done. As Episcopalians, we need to continue to pray and worship together (two prayer vigils are linked below: tonight in Minnesota, and on Wednesday with the people of Allegany County). We need to repent of wrongdoing, recognizing that the killing of civilians by the state is a sin that has been done and continues in our name throughout our history and throughout our world. Our promise of repentance is to change our ways now and to continue to resist evil. We promise to speak and act as Jesus did, to see Christ in all persons, regardless of our opinion of them. We promise to work for justice and peace—not the world’s flawed version, but the justice and peace of God.
Our responses will be different, but they will be united—rooted in faith and community. Some will protest, march, and lift their voices. Some will witness with their cell phone video cameras and with their bodies. Some will care for and feed those who are sick and in need and bury and mourn the dead. Some will call us continually to prayer and discernment. Some will watch and learn, planning to respond when violence and need flare up in our backyard. No one will act alone. Whatever you do to respond to the needs of the world, do so clothed in prayer and in the fruits of the Spirit, and do not go alone. We can only be Christians, the Body of Christ, when we are in community.
My prayer for us all:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Christ, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Paraphrase of Romans 15:13
