HAPPENINGS LEAD ARTICLE: From Your Rector

FROM YOUR RECTOR

As I mentioned in my little speech on Sunday before the service started, Naomi and I attended the Loons game, Major League Soccer, on Saturday evening. The moment of silence to commemorate the victims of the violence earlier that day was something to experience. It caused me to choke up a little, and be so impressed with Minnesota’s ability to come together in the face of unspeakable adversity.

At the end of the silence, we sang the National Anthem, and after that Naomi asked me an interesting question. She asked me if I thought any of the players really cared about the politically motivated assassinations that happened earlier that day. At that moment I didn’t have a good answer, I told her I imagined they had been briefed on the situation and given notes if asked about it.

But as her question lingered in my mind I realized something important. We are privileged not to have this kind of violence in our country on a level that it is present in so many other countries. Looking out over the players for the Loons on the field, it is interesting to think about the experiences they have had.

There is a player from South Africa. The Anglican Communion’s own Desmond Tutu was at the center of the political foment and violence that happened there and I am sure is still happening in many ways.

Several players on the squad are from Europe, where I am sure the scars of World War 2 are still very present.

Many players are from Central America, Panama, Honduras and Costa Rica. We know well that there is much political violence happening in those countries that far exceeds what we experience here.

South America is represented by players from Argentina and Colombia. My Mom spent time in the Peace Corps in Colombia and though she was safe, she often talked about the dangers of certain areas there.

We also have two players from South Korea. I have no idea what it would be like living south of North Korea, especially knowing that both of them still have to serve their required year long military service for the Country.

Now, I have no idea if they care, but I do think they understand, and I hope their empathy is such that they can understand the pain of losing someone in an act of such violence.

We’ve seen a lot of social media posts that have been filled with blame and hatred, in the aftermath of this event. Our social media is the place we go to escape the “shackles” of empathy and sympathy for the most part. It is the place we go to escape, to not feel what it is to lose or experience the kind of pain this act of violence brings.

Being in that stadium and experiencing the level of silence we did for the full duration of time it was asked of us was humbling. Looking out over those players and understanding that they all come from places that do not have the stability and consistency we have in this country made me feel connected to something bigger.

We are all part of a global community that is broken and destructive in so many ways right now, but it is also filled with people trying to accomplish the same things you and I are trying to accomplish. To live our lives the best we can, love the people who are close to us, share in the journeys of pain and joy those we don’t know well embark upon and work to leave the world better than it was when we came into it.

We do that as Disciples of Christ, followers of Jesus, travelers in The Way. We do that steeped in hope for God’s indwelling, and the Spirits pouring out upon us.