"Praying for Peace in the Midst of Violence"
November 6, 2009
I am writing this E-pistle in the aftermath of the shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, yesterday in which it is accused that an army major shot and killed 13 people and injured many more. That tragedy prompted me to write this E-pistle and to invite all United Methodist people in Indiana to pray for those victims and their families.
Now as I am writing this message, I am seeing the news of another shooting in Orlando, Florida. It is not yet determined how many people have been killed or injured in this shooting rampage.
In the midst of such violence, our temptation is to starting jumping to conclusions. I have already heard comments about the alleged shooter in Texas being a Muslim, and no doubt we will hear others jumping to other conclusions about the shooting in Florida once we know the identity of that perpetrator. We need to realize that “jumping to conclusions” is a human response to try to restore our sense of balance as we deal with unimaginable situations. Sometimes we think that if we can find a quick and easy answer to the “Why?” questions, then our world is somehow back into balance and security.
I understand that need for answers, but I urge you NOT to jump to such conclusions. Allow yourself to live with the anxiety of hearing about such terrible situations, without needing to find someone to blame or some quick and easy “answer” to these situations. No doubt we will learn in the days to come many of the multiple reasons behind these awful events, and those reasons may lead us to discuss how to alleviate or even to prevent such violence.
In the meantime, our appropriate response is to PRAY. Pray for peace, pray for the healing of those injured, pray for the families of those who have lost their lives, pray for a just solution, and … yes … even pray for the person or persons who have inflicted such violence. Hearing the words of Jesus that we should “love our enemies” and “pray for those who persecute us" is a somber reminder that we can and should pray, even in the midst of terrible situations and unimaginable violence.
Does our praying do any good? Yes. It helps us to cope. It brings the spiritual resources of God’s people to bear on the situation. And it moves us from looking for easy answers and toward the more lengthy process and seeking God’s will. Most of all, praying brings us into the spirit of peace that only God can offer. So, pray. Pray for all involved in these terrible situations. Pray for peace. Pray.
from Bishop Michael J. Coyner
Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church
