“I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This week, we invite you to read the United Church of Christ’s response to last week’s reprehensible White Supremacist mass shooting at two mosques in in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 50 people. Here’s an excerpt, a prayer for peace and healing for people of all faiths:
Holy One, called by many names, our hearts are once again touched and broken by events in our communities. You created us from love and call us to love you and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Once again we find ourselves facing the reality that fear is among us instead of love.
We pray for the families and friends of those murdered and injured in Christchurch, New Zealand today. We pray for Muslim communities globally and extend love, peace and comfort in the midst of yet another tragic moment. We pray for healing for the injured and for lives that are torn apart today. We stand boldly as Christians believing that the love that comes from you is greater than the fear that destroys lives and communities. Amen.
QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK: How can we, as a family of faith, combat xenophobia and white supremacy in our communities? How can we turn our prayers into action for justice, peace, and healing?