Dark Night Rises

It was late Friday night when I heard of the violence at a midnight viewing of the most recent Batman movie in Aurora, Colorado. Like so many of you I was horrified by yet another random act of violence that didn’t have to be except that evil has no conscious and once again the dark night rises and catches us off guard – totally unprepared for such violence. We shake our heads and wonder, why?

I recall the shooting of Amish children attending school, Columbine and Virginia Tech. Violence continues to show its ugly head and another night of darkness rises from the insufferable dung heap of unresolved anger and lonely desperation and as Christians we struggle to find the words to console our anxious hearts especially when such acts of violence taunt the very values we hold dear.   When the dark night rises and taunts the values that shape our community, how do Christians respond to such acts of violence?

As painful as it may be for all of us, we must learn from the Amish community that shows us that forgiveness works. We must also believe that even when the dark night rises from its lurid, murky grave of hopelessness and despair, we must believe that evil is the aberration and not goodness. In God’s time, goodness, not evil will prevail. In the meantime, we must remain steadfast, teaching our children about the importance of love, acceptance, tolerance, and an abiding faith that is nurtured from the day our children were baptized. Through thick and thin, through tragedy and grief, our faith must be strong -- strong enough to stand in the shadow of the dark night, fearlessly proclaiming the power of God’s love and grace for this will be our salvation.

Prayer

We cry out and ask WHY God, why? We struggle to understand, to make sense out of such tragedy and we ask WHY? Because we become anxious in times like these, we plead for answers. Until we hear from you O God, remind us that we do not grieve alone for you grieve with us. In our weeping, in our mourning, and in our struggle to understand, may we feel your presence, your comforting Spirit that covers us like a warm blanket of peace. Amen.

Building Blocks

A photograph of several of the Evansville Tri-State Association youth attending the National Youth Event at Purdue University was posted on Facebook last week. It was a photograph of several youth playing in the fountain on campus.  For those who attended Purdue University, it seems that this long held tradition of running through the fountain is a part of the life and culture of the university. A tradition such as this one brings individuals together and community happens. 

   

We have a similar photograph in a collection of family photos. Carly and I attended Faith Works at Purdue University in the mid-nineties and it was a hot day in July when Andrew and Aaron enjoyed a few minutes cooling down  in the same fountain.   Whether or not my boys ever meet the youth who attended the National Youth Event this summer, they will share a memory that binds them together with others who have made a similar journey.   A memory such as this brings our individual journeys together in a common experience and community happens.  

And so it is with Christian community – traditions and memories that are shared through the generation shape our values, our beliefs, and our Christian commitment. Memory and tradition are the building blocks upon which the Christian faith is shaped and formed. It is from this foundation that we are free to imagine the possible. What are the building blocks of your faith? What memory do you share with generations that define your family? Your community? What traditions bring meaning to your faith?  

Prayer 

God, help us to cherish our memories and shape new traditions that proclaim your glory today. May the traditions of life ground us in this new day and our memories of this new day empower us to imagine the possible. Amen.

Holy is the Day

An early morning wind touches the window where I am  sleeping, a wet nose nudges my forehead, and as my eyes open and adjust to the early morning light, God's hand of grace brings forth the new day -- Holy is the day.

I look out my back door and a rabbit munches peacefully upon the greener grass around my flower-bed that sips from the edges of the garden as I try to keep the flowers fed and watered that they may sing songs of praise to their Creator with their color and their simple beauty. Even as the parched grass crunches under my feet, God's hand of grace brings beauty to my day -- Holy is the day.

A humming bird buzzes by my ear as he makes his way to the Petunias overflowing the basket's edge and quickly rushes back to a small nest in the Ash Tree that lifts its leafy arms to the glory of God. The birds, sipping water from the bird bath, a bee buzzing in and out of the flowering sage as it gathers what it needs to make food for its family. Even as the natural world breaks forth with its own busy day, God's hand of grace brings order to the this new day -- Holy is the day.

I don't know what else will greet me this day as I create my own order for the day. It may be a quiet day of study and reflection. It could be a day of unexpected surprises or disappointing results. The day is still unfolding and only destiny knows how it will end. This is what I do know -- God has blessed this new day for me -- for us -- for all of creation and that is sufficient -- Holy is the day!

Prayer:

God of morning light, tiny, wet noses, and a garden of blessings, you have blessed this day with a holy kiss and called us from our sleepy slumber to embrace the new day -- this holy day. May all my senses experience your holiness this day and may it come to its beautiful end with sleepy eyes and a jubilant heart. Holy is this day. Amen.