What do we do about Orlando?

           

             When I think about what went on in Orlando, those words from Galatians come to mind:  There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; all are one in Christ Jesus.  I’m sure if he lived in this time, Paul might have added straight or gay and black or white  to that list.  The point of all of it is to take the things that divide us, the categories that we are locked into and make them irrelevant.  All of us are one in Christ Jesus.  That is the point of what Paul is talking about.

            We have spent this week worrying about our divisions.  Are we being besieged by Muslim terrorists?  Is it all right to have gay bars in our cities?  How can we keep our people safe when there is so much worry about what separates us from each other?  There have been renewed calls for gun legislation, which is unlikely to happen.  There has been political finger pointing about who is responsible for all of this.  None of it has been at all helpful.  We still have our divisions and we still have all of the hatred lying out there waiting for an opportunity to make itself known.  What we need to understand is that it isn’t a Muslim insurrection that is causing all of this; it is our inability to accept and understand the ways that we are divided and to minister to the divisions in the same way that we care for everyone else.

            When I served as the interim rector of St. James parish in Charleston, WV for almost two years about fifteen years ago, I found myself at the head of a primarily African American parish that had more people with doctorates than any parish where I have ever served.  These were also people who cared very much about their community and who were all involved in programs that had to do with the welfare of people beyond their walls.  I was deeply impressed with the energy that this congregation put forth as a result of their faith and their determination that everyone in the community mattered to them.  They taught me a lot about the way that community matters to all of us and how essential it is that we take part in doing what we can to improve the lives of everyone in it.  Atonement reminds me of St. James.  You now have a nine week program to provide lunches for the young students next door.  This is what community means.

            In Paul’s time, there were incredible divisions in his community.  There were religious arguments, great fear of the Romans who governed the whole of the country.  There were even divisions among the Christians.  Whether Paul was accepted as one of Jesus’ apostles was up for grabs.  That question was never adequately settled.  Paul became the foremost ambassador of the message of Jesus, even though he never met him.  His insights to the Galatians about our divisions are very helpful when we consider what needs to be done in our own age to bring us together and minimize the things that separate us.

            So what do we do about it?  There have been many gatherings of people to pray for the people of Orlando and what they have experienced; I have seen many postings on Facebook and in my mail from people lamenting this horrible deed.  Blood drives have produced many pints of blood that has been made available to those working with the injured in Orlando.  We are reacting as we always do to tragic events of this nature, and all of it is very helpful.   Our legislators need to act and to find some unity in what they do.  This needs to happen as quickly as possible to avoid any more tragedies.

            Above all, we all need to keep this nation and the people who have suffered loss in our prayers.  Do that faithfully every day.  When Elijah went south to avoid the wrath of Jezebel, he found himself in a cave on Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.  He called out to God to speak to him.  There was a terrible wind, but God was not in the wind; there was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake; there was a large fire, but God was not in the fire.  Then Elijah heard what has been called a still small voice.  It was God speaking comfort to Elijah.  God didn’t tell him to stop and hide; he told him to return to his work and to head for the wilderness of Damascus where he can be of some use.

            I think that is how God speaks to us; in a still, small voice, a voice of comfort and help in our times of distress.  Listen for that voice and do what it says.  Keep your prayers strong and keep those who have suffered in your hearts and minds.  It will make an incredible difference. Love and comfort are what God requires of us.  It is how we overcome our divisions and repair what has been so tragically done.