A Word from Laura: A Response to Wednesday's Violence
Western Friends,
We have lived through another dark day in our nation’s capital. My friends have used all kinds of words to describe it: “violence… insurrection… white supremacist… terrorism… hate… sedition…” (those are the words I can print in a church email).
We have felt all kinds of things over the last day: anger, grief, trauma, tears, shock, and relief. I’ve noticed a level of sentiment not felt since September 11, 2001.
I’ve seen words of hope and wisdom as well as important questions about why mostly white protesters incited to mob violence received relative leniency given the level of force Black Lives Matter protesters experienced last summer. I’ve also heard indignation from those who reject how Jesus’s name was on banners next to Trump’s.
Whatever we have thought or felt or questioned, we can’t un-see what happened yesterday. We can’t pretend that “this is not us” as a nation, if ever we thought that in the first place.
But we can ground ourselves in the truth we know in faith. Yesterday does not reflect who God created us to be as human beings, nor does it have to be who we become in the future. The lethal combination of racism, hate, fear, anger, and violence gives us an opportunity to renounce what is clearly against God and God’s good intention.
In that light, I invite you to do two things:
1) Consider how the events and images are affecting you, and remember that the peace of Christ invites us to wholistic well-being. Even if you weren’t near the Capitol yourself, the mob violence was traumatic. Neurologists and psychologists tell us that trauma resides in our bodies, that it can affect our moods, our thought processes, our sleep, our physical well-being. Especially in this time when we’re already experiencing the stress and loss of the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and racial inequity, please pay extra attention to how this vicarious experience of violence and hatred can get into you. Take good care of your body, mind and spirit!
2) Join with Westerners for worship on Sunday. We’ll have some time following worship for mindful prayer and reflection, when we can join together as a church community, seeking God’s Spirit at work in our lives and our nation. How is God’s Spirit leading us to pray – with words, with thoughts, with actions – for our leadership, for our region, for public safety and law enforcement, and for an end to white supremacy culture at all levels?
And, yes, I use the words “dark” and “light” intentionally. January 6, other than being a dark day, was Epiphany, a day of light for those who follow Jesus. Let us be like the magi, the wise folk, religious and cultural outsiders undaunted by the tyrants of their day, who sought the light that shines in the darkness,
Laura