Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
Christ didn’t create us for this.
Again, today I struggle for words. I am sickened. I am angry. I am sad beyond words. Another place people call 'home' has been added to a long list of places that will forever be associated with a mass shooting. Dead children and teachers, my fingers shake as I type these words.
I will pray. This is not enough. In the Bible, the people of God would pray. God expected more, demanded more. To pray without changing words and actions is to make God a puppet who will do what we wish. God will always enter into our lives and partner with us, but God does not come to us on our terms. He comes to us with grace and love.
We say we are a great nation, but we are the only nation in which the number one cause of death of children is by a gun.
In the latest state where there has been a mass shooting, a person doesn’t need to purchase a gun license, there are no background checks to see if a person is fit to possess a gun, and a person does not need training to purchase a gun.
There are people who should not possess weapons that can be used for mass destruction. If you disagree, stop praying and keep counting the dead.
I often ponder what God must be thinking. I ponder, based on the scriptures: "it's not that they are not doing something, they aren't doing anything! And then they pray, for what?"
Children, teachers, the elderly, worshippers, all have died in the last month because of mass shootings. We pray, and do nothing. The number of mass shootings has been growing exponentially each year, and we pray and do nothing.
It's time we put aside our wants, and address the needs of our neighbors, children, teachers, the elderly, worshippers, everyone. "Love one another as I have loved you."
Or we can pray without action, and then we will pray some more as we bury more of our neighbors.
God didn't create us for that!
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Pastor Frank Kauzlarich