A Reflection on Mercy and Love
As many parishioners are aware, I provided some of my initial reactions to the saddening and quite frustrating news concerning the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. I don’t think that anyone who watched that video footage could not have felt a great deal of anguish as a man appeared to be unfairly treated by someone who had taken an oath to protect and serve. It also appeared that others stood idly by. After posting my initial reaction, I decided on my own volition to remove it later. A few parishioners have inquired as to why. I thought a follow up response was a good idea.
The reason I decided to remove my initial post is quite simple. I reflected upon the tragedy in many ways and realized that I was reacting to what I was hearing and listening to and needed more time to internalize the injustice of not only the death of Mr. Floyd but also the injustices that exist in our world. I also thought that as the investigation continued and as the debates continued I needed to take some time to gather more information.
Upon this necessary pause for prayer and reflection, I have decided that my message is and should be the message of LOVE. That is where I stand. I stand with and for all who want to each day encounter their neighbor with love. Our dialogue must be based upon love. Our desire to make this world a better place must be centered upon love of God and love of our neighbor. We need to allow ourselves to ask the questions why. Why can such things happen? Why do others and why do we sometimes treat others so egregiously? Why do others…and sometimes we stand idly by when such evils occur? Why did no one try to stop the carrying of the cross of Christ? However, we also need to understand that humanity, individually and as a whole, is broken and is fraught with frailties. And most importantly, we are all in need of God’s love and mercy. That is also why Jesus came and why we all need to think not only of the acts of injustice that need to be sought out and eliminated but also all acts of injustice towards all those marginalized in our society, by our own acts or acts of others, that we are in deep need of mercy and forgiveness.
It all starts with LOVE. There is a biblical passage that discusses what LOVE is and what LOVE is not. We often hear this passage at weddings where we celebrate God’s gift of love. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, and is not rude. Love is not self-seeking nor is easily angered. Love does not keep record of wrongs and love never fails. It is sometimes very difficult to love when we experience hatred, anger, and wrongdoings. However, we are still called to love.
It is my sincere hope that all concerned keep LOVE as the basis in all dialogue, in all calls for change, and in seeking a balance which protects the preciousness of all life. We must seek to build up the Kingdom of God here on this earth through mutual respect, recognition that each and every one of us has been created by God and are children of God, each human being is irrepeatable and unique, and each and every life is sacred and blessed by God. I believe that the strength of God’s love for us and the power of the divine mercy of Jesus overcomes our human weaknesses and our faults. We cannot do this alone. We need God’s help. We need prayer to guide our dialogue and our actions.
As we work together to make our community a community of love, let us join together to support those who earnestly seek to protect every person in our communities equally as well as all those who support ways to improve our human experience for each and every member of our society. May the peace of Christ that only He can give be with each and every one of you. Thank you for allowing me to let you know where I stand…I stand with LOVE.
Peace in Him,
Fr Don Bender, Pastor