What do we tell our children when they hear the news of 19 children dead? What do we say when they ask us if they are safe? What do we DO to make sure they are safe?
My heart is heavy this week, as I know yours is as well. How do we tell our children that we adults, the ones tasked with keeping them safe, that we failed them this week as we have failed them too many times before?
What do we do with our heavy hearts, our anxious bodies, our incandescent rage?
And what do we tell our children?
First, off, we as adults need to spend a little time processing our own feelings. Journal, go for a run, call a friend, cry, scream into a pillow. Do what you need to do to let some of the emotion out. You can share some of your feelings with your kid, especially if they are older, but don’t lay
that emotion on them. Open wounds stink, and they need you to be present for their feelings.
Second, be honest. We failed. Grown-ups don’t always get it right. We are human, and we don’t always make good and wise decisions. We have decided as a society that the rights of a few loud voices are more important than our children’s lives, and it is clearly time for a new decision.
Third, remind them that God is still here. God is with us in our pain, in our sadness, in our rage. God gives us the gift of righteous anger – just read the psalms for some great examples.
Finally, look together at the groups who are out there doing the work, and decide as a family what you want to do to take action.
Actually, one more thing. I would remind us, the readers of this newsletter, that as Episcopalians, our prayer MUST lead to action. We don’t simply offer us prayers and then hope for the best. At the end of our worship every Sunday we are SENT OUT to do the work that God
has given us to do. We have been tasked with keeping our children safe. We have serious work to do.
Also, as Episcopalians, we can hold several potentially conflicting ideas together. We do it in the prayer book all.the.time. We can hold the nuances of having gun ownership in our Constitution AND we can work for tighter gun regulations so that our world is safer for us and our children.
On Sunday, May 29, we will offer three different prayers:
A prayer for those being ordained (for Phillip), from the Book of Common Prayer.
A prayer for those who have lost their lives in military service, from the supplemental Enriching Our Worship materials.
A prayer from the Sisters of Mercy called “Let the shooting end.”
While it may seem that these three prayers do not go together, for Episcopalians, they do. We can celebrate the hope that is found in the order and rhythm of the Book of Common Prayer, we can pray for those who have died to offer protection for us all, and we can pray for a better
future where we are all safe from the threat of gun violence.
Moms Demand Action
Bishops Against Gun Violence
North Carolina Council of Churches
Vigil and Community Call to Action for Uvalde, TX Victims
Thursday, May 26, 5:30 p.m.
Bicentennial Plaza
1 E Edenton Street, Raleigh
We lead the world with 288 school shootings since 2009. This is unconscionable and it is high time our elected officials do something about this. Stand with people of faith and conscience today for a press and vigil event to remember those killed and injured in Uvalde, Texas. Click here to RSVP.