A woman is sexually assaulted while unconscious. 49 people are shot dead in a nightclub in Orlando. The country responds with anger, confusion, fear, sadness and grief. My heart is heavy.
How do we acknowledge and honor our feelings without letting them shut us down? Anger, confusion, fear, sadness and grief all have the potential to consume us, invite us into isolation, or lead to paranoia and hatred. How do we feel what we feel and commit to staying open and vulnerable? How do we keep faith today?
Confusion can lead to dialogue. Fear can inspire us to unite. Anger can lead to peacemaking action. Sadness can lead to greater compassion. For me, that transformation requires deep faith. It requires me to return to the story of Jesus. His life centered around peacekeeping. In his death, he took anger, confusion, fear and hatred into his body and transformed it to life and love.
Jesus’ life and death inspired the Christian nonviolent movement. It continues to inspire individuals and groups to bring love out of hate and peace out of fear. That transformation is what I pray for. I pray for the courage to allow God to turn my pain into love in action.
Keeping Faith Today 