We were weary. Between the local headlines that gave a daily murder count in our city and the national news of mass shootings, suicides, and accidental deaths, we were beginning to feel like violence and hate might be winning.
After a particularly violent weekend in Chicago, we were ready for a glimmer of hope. When we ask God to move a mountain, God may respond by handing us a shovel. Fortunately, God works through us as a community of believers.
We also don’t need to wait for someone else to come to town to ignite these feelings of solidarity and hope. Let’s mark our calendars for when Women of the ELCA commemorates Rachel’s Day on the first Sunday in May. Rachel’s Day is a time of grieving, awareness-raising and taking a stand against gun violence in our communities.
As David told Goliath, “The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). Our battle plan against gun violence must include the power of God’s love.
This message is an excerpt from “Give us this day: Lessons from the forge” by Laura Brix Newbury in the October 2019 issue of Gather magazine. Today we remember Antony of Egypt, renewer of the church, who died around 356; and Pachomius, renewer of the church, who died in 346.
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