Reflections by Lou - the best of times, the worst of times

Five Dallas police officers. Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. Many other police officers and at least two protesters wounded in Dallas, and other victims of violence virtually every day around the country. It is almost too much to bear, and even more difficult to understand.

I write this on my last day of vacation at Chautauqua. The best of times, at one of the most civil places on earth. Yet so often the tragedies of the world make themselves known through the beep of the breaking news alert on my cellphone, and the worst of times interject.

The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, one of the finest preachers in the Episcopal Church, was last week's chaplain and preacher. She opened her Friday morning sermon, following Thursday night's tragedy (a term sadly used far too often), as follows:

"Oh Chautauqua, my heart is breaking for the five police officers in Dallas, for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the four more who did it. God help us. God help us all."

Our hearts are breaking. And let's be honest. We are afraid. The norms of our society that we have grown up with seem to be crumbling. Dallas seems like a tipping point, an ISIS-like act of terrorism. When and where will the next act of madness erupt?

Later in her sermon, Barbara Brown Taylor quoted the new pastor of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina where about a year ago a young white man shot and killed the pastor and eight parishioners at a bible study. "We have to learn to love the hell out of other people," the Rev. Betty Clark proclaimed. Some people do appear to be infected with hell. As Dr. King famously said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only love can do that." And perhaps intensive mental health services.

What can we do? Pray, of course. Pray for healing, understanding, justice, reconciliation, and peace. Join in the conversation at St. Paul's. Your clergy attempt to address these issues in our preaching. Our Social Justice Commission will be contemplating how to respond and increase attention to issues of justice and reconciliation. We will be pondering how to engage more parishioners on these issues in the fall. Your suggestions are invited and encouraged, and may be shared with any of your clergy and Erin Morey, chair of the Social Justice Commission.

In the meantime, I pray that in these seemingly worst of times you may find peace and restoration in what should be the best of times, this glorious summer.

Peace and blessings,
Lou+