Madness.

Hello beloved,

I am sure that you have heard the news by now, of the shooting at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas. And I know you are crying with them, and praying for them, because of course you are. Everything in us cries out when things like this happen, even as we are becoming horribly desensitized to it, protecting ourselves from hopeless despair by detachment and denial, steeling ourselves for the inevitable words, the predictable responses by politicians and citizens who just want to make it STOP.

The problem is, there is no easy, clean, simple solution. Because it is madness, spiritual madness. And madness defies logic.

So, the only solution is utter madness in response.

My first thought after hearing of this shooting, in the midst of impotent rage and stomach-turning sadness, was to batten down the hatches. To develop an emergency response plan for the church, a way to protect ourselves should these horrors come to our doorstep, and into our home. And we will do that, because we have to. And yet...

I say we throw the church doors open even wider.

I say we SHOUT love loudly and clearly, from the doorways and the windows and the rooftops, and dare the forces of violence and death to try to defeat us.

I say we add 100x to our spirit of welcome, on Sunday mornings and on every other day. I say we reach out even more readily, to bring every stranger into this place of care and kindness, mercy and generosity. I say we make our openness an act of radical defiance.

I say we refuse to cower, refuse to close ourselves behind steel doors, refuse to descend into anger or despair or apathy, and instead stand tall and strong and determined, like David met Goliath. Knowing that the battle is not ours but the Lord's.

"Be strong, and courageous," said God to Joshua, on his way to the promised land, knowing the dangers he would face. "Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Steve Garnaas-Holmes is a brilliant Christian poet. I find these words, from a poem he wrote some time ago, to be powerfully comforting and deeply meaningful.

"Do not be afraid to live among people who love the sword,
who speak with iron hearts.
You have been sent to make gentle this wounded world, 
to live in peace among those who are afraid,
to bear healing to those who are captive
to the spirit of pride and violence.
Do not despair because of the oppressors,
those who judge and despise,
who will not listen,
who do not know how to join with neighbors.
Rejoice, for you have been given to them,
to shine light into the darkness of their world.
The Holy Spirit sustains you,
so that you may dwell as healers among fearful men.

Bear your outrage lightly; do not cling to it.
Let it lead you toward compassion, not anger.
Pray that you may not be defeated by vengefulness,
eaten by the appetite for power,
destroyed by the spirit of destructiveness.
Anger is not your weapon; it is your enemy.

The spirit of violence seeps into the world.
But you radiate Good News,
you breathe gentleness into the air that all others breath,
you establish trust on the earth.
Be broken hearted.
And through the cracks let light shine...
the light shines in the darkness
and the darkness cannot overcome it."

~ Steve Garnaas-Holmes

Fearlessly,
Pastor Dawn