A facebook post came to me from Teresa Blythe, director of the Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, Tucson, AZ, where I was trained. I would like to share it with you in its entirety, in light of the horrendous tragedy in Charleston this past week. Please pause if you would to read this and offer a quiet prayer.
"Waltrina N. Middleton the lovely person who is National Minister for Youth Advocacy and Leadership in the United Church of Christ lost her cousin in the Charleston shootings. In an open letter to people of my denomination she wrote:
Let us put our faith to action and be more than empty drums that have lost their melodies or arrangements. Let us remove our instruments from the poplar trees and call the people, the public officials, and yes, the church to action to address the festering sores of racism, classism and militarism--as they intersect this culture of violence. How can we begin to eradicate this evil without acknowledging the realities of racialized policing, hate crimes, and the disproportionate acts of violence against Black and Brown bodies?"
Let us continue to pray for Waltrina, her family and all who are so intimately touched by this act of terrorism.
