My dear friends at St. David's,

 

I write tonight to add my prayers and concerns to those of so many in our country. With the death of George Floyd we are once again confronted with the insipid and systemic sin of racism. We are confronted with yet another African American man being killed by law enforcement. We are confronted yet again with another life cut short, another grieving family, another grieving community, another place for all of us to lament and confess. We are once again appalled, crying how, "How can this be?" And grieving is a responsible act for people of faith.

Our faith also asks more, nonetheless. Our faith invites us to work for justice, to confront the systems of racism, to look inward and find the sin of racism in ourselves and confess, repent, and amend our lives. 

Tonight we join, whether literally or in spirit, with those who are peacefully protesting across the country, demanding change. Tonight I call us to prayer as well. 

 

Most Holy and Sacred God, we cry out to you for grace and mercy as we grieve the death of George Floyd. We ask you to guide the leaders of our country as we examine our corporate heart and confront the sin of systemic racism. We ask you to fill all those who work in law enforcement with your grace, your love, and your humility as they do the difficult tasks they are called on to do. And we pray for the repose of the soul of George Floyd. We pray for his family, his friends, and his community. We pray all of this in the gracious name of Jesus. 

 

Tomorrow is the Feast of Pentecost. It is on that day that the Holy Spirit drove the disciples out of hiding and into the streets proclaiming the love of God, and they did so in every language. This is the call of the gospel: God's love for all. All People are loved by God. All races, all faiths, all gender: all God's people. Let us commit ourselves to doing the same. 

Peace,

Fr. Chuck