Beams of Heaven, Rivers of
Blood
After rage seared, after eyes
watered, after inspiration was written, I needed reflection time. The hurt of June 18, 2015 day is monstrous. In a period of time when so many have been slaughtered
across the color line, I grieve.
But my emotions do not, indeed they
dare not, end in grief. I am angry. Deeply. Profoundly. Exceptionally. I am
angry.
For months I have listened to the
calamitous perspectives of colleagues. Some piously intoned after
Michael Smith's murder, people do not want "controversy in church."
When a Jewish synagogue was gun terrorized in Wisconsin, some
"Christians" turned away, gripping quietude as if it were comforting
and cool pillow. When Tamir Rice was slaughtered, when Freddie Gray was
tortured and executed, certain church leaders clamored that "we don't do
politics from the pulpit."
Now, as a massacre happened in the
all black Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church, when an unsuspecting
assembly gathered to deepen discipleship in prayer and study only to be
assailed by a white bigot, are there now "believers" who would
advocate another "unholy hush?" What kind of avoidance declaration,
what pathetic justification for silence and inaction will some advance in this
moment?
It must be said—by the church—that in
these terrorist serial killings, racist supremacy shows itself again as a form
of political opposition and violent intimidation. Here it appears afresh,
attacking worshippers, assassinating spiritual leaders and daring others to
chance death if speaking of equality in the public square. A young, hate filled
White man embodies hatred, rhetoric and commitment to Black death. And he did
more than demonstrate hate for Black people; he terrorized them.
Terrorism, notwithstanding let
this be known: 1. the national addiction to violence and 2. the en masse
enabling of such, must end. Somewhere, a God ordained determination must be
found—in this society—to oppose this diabolical and gruesome twosome. The
integrity of the gospel, the relevance of the church, the possibility for peace
and the judgment of God all stand in the balance. All of us—before the Lord and
in the earth—contribute either to God's justice or to intractable evil. There
is no middle ground here. Also, the sin of racism—never benign, always
lethal—must end. Let it be said again: violence, enabling of violence
and racism must end. One day, they will.
The question is how? Will they end by
a peace filled covenant established in God's love? Will the glory of the Lord
rise among us as the voice of peace? As the presence of Justice?
Or will the tortured oppressed, will
fatigued and attacked people tragically abort serving as pilgrims of peace?
Instead, will they become purveyors of vengeance, of a furious and non
intimidated wrath because they refuse to live fear filled lives? Will more
families be torn asunder as persons declare they will not return to the
historically hideous and spiritually embarrassing days of post reconstruction
and Jim Crow segregation?
What will it be? We can choose to watch
justice come hard, or we can make justice come rightly.
In love, people can work to see peace
filled justice come. Justice for all and the end to white supremacist behavior
can come nonviolently. Absolutely it can. But will it?
It must come. The quiet of too many
"tension averse" religious folk gives no clue as to how. But it must
come.
Pray that it comes with beams of
heaven, not rivers of blood.
