September 21: Lamentations 1-2; Psalm 67; 1 Peter 5

This is a book of poetry.  Songs of lament meant to appeal to God's mercy.  At times, it is hard to read.  But we understand the words and feelings all too well...

As we live in another week when violence by gunfire has taken lives, this time at the Navy yard, and as we read the book of a people's cry to God to end this suffering, let's begin to ask the hard question: what are we called to do to end this suffering?

Lamenting at a time such as this is needed.  It is part of our human nature to weep and wail at injustice and evil.  But God also calls us to take action, to change, to demand a way to restore justice.

I'm tired of weeping and wailing at the daily instances of violent gunfire in the United States.  Today I must also consider how I can be part of a solution.  I'm not sure of the answer as of yet; I know it includes prayer.  But, I think it involves more than that.  Step one: I must be willing to accept that I have a part to play in it.  Step two:  I need to educate myself on gun laws and politicians and what is happening in my country.

I'd like to avoid step two.  It just depresses me.  But the endless slaughter of people due to gunfire depresses me even more.

Gun fatalities exceeded 30,000 per year and terror fatalities totaled about 3,400 since 1970, yet we treat acts of terror with an understanding that we will do anything to stop it but don't react the same way for gun violence. (www.msnbc.com)

You may not feel the same way as me; that's okay.  But things we lament should also be things we feel deeply enough to desire to change.  We should be willing to consider our part in it.  How might we be agents of transformation----midwives of God's Kingdom----in these situations?