Dear Caldwell,
First things first on this tragic day: God weeps in this hour along with all of us. In this Advent season, we have already heard God’s reassurance through the prophet Isaiah, “Comfort, comfort O my people.” We may feel utterly paralyzed by the horror of what has happened in Connecticut. We may reach for words and find none that suit. What we can do is pray for Divine solace for all affected. On another day, we are called to shout even louder that, as a nation, we must do more through public policy to prevent such mindless tragedies. But, today, we pray that we will one day soon find a way to practice the peace of Christ. To that end, at the bottom of this email, I share a prayer offered today by a rabbi in the tradition of a psalm. Please lift these words up to our Lord.
Now onto other events in the life of our church:
* Tomorrow holds excitement and newness for us and our friends from the bilingual preschool. Many parents and church volunteers have been working to organize our first “La Posada” celebration. Around 4:30 we will begin to organize on the back campus for a parade (with Mary, Joseph and a donkey), finally ending up in the sanctuary for a brief, bilingual lessons and carrols service, followed by fellowship. We’re told to expect many, many friends from the preschool. All are very excited. I hope you can come, learn, celebrate and extend hospitality.
* On Sunday, we continue our upside-down Advent by seeing the arrival of the Messiah though the eyes of the prophet Micah (5:2-5). In Micah’s time of national suffering, the conventional wisdom called for a traditional savior, one who would come with force and might. Instead, our messiah came as the Prince of Peace. Also, our children have prepared some special music, always a highlight. And we welcome Veronica Rogers back!
* Then at 3 pm on Sunday, the ladies of Caldwell House have pooled their resources to prepare a thank-you banquet for those who have helped them on their journey. All are invited to this gracious act of generosity and giving.
* Earlier at 9:45 a.m., the Adult Sunday school will continue its study of Richard Rohr’s Advent devotions.
Below is the prayer for today’s losses. May the Lord be with our brothers and sisters there.
In Christ, John
———————————————-
A Prayer in Wake of a School Shooting
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
in mourning and solidarity with the community of Newtown, Connecticut
Adonai,
Your children and teachers
are dead and wounded.
Our souls are burning with anguish.
Until When, Adonai?! (Ps. 6:3)
…
How long must we fear?
You have given us the tools of progress,
and we wield them to hurt.
Our plowshares have jagged edges,
and children are dying.
We have sinned.
And we continue to sin.
We have not done what we can.
We could have saved precious lives
by changing our ways
and we have not.
Your children, our children,
dead and wounded.
We ask You, Adonai, for
the strength to face what numbs us,
the strength to hear the screams,
the resolve to not let our vulnerability make us feel powerless.
We are not.For we.
Adonai, we are your images,
and we are being erased.
We are erasing ourselves,
and in so doing we are erasing You.
We have so much accursed power.
It is the curse of this power
and the sin that waits by the door (Gen. 4:7)
that leads us to permit evil,
which is the same as doing it ourselves,
which is the same as erasing the Holy Name.
Dear God, this hurts so much.
Teach us, Guide us,
Make us save each other.