​Sermon on the Orlando Tragedy by the Rev. Lou Hays

Galatians 3:23-29 and Luke 8:26-39

And so it happens again. And God weeps, again. And God must be getting sick and tired of weeping.

The largest mass shooting in our history, 49 people gunned down. Predominantly young, predominantly Hispanic and Puerto Rican, and predominantly, perhaps exclusively, gay, lesbian, or transgender.

And, like San Bernardino, another act of evil hatred seemingly fueled by a perverted faith and ideology, with the added dimension of ultimate bias against our LGBT and Hispanic sisters and brothers.

And once again, we ask, “Why?” When will it end? And sadly, when will it happen again?

And once again, there are no good answers.

As always, this tragedy also produced brighter moments, glimmers of hopes in the midst of the darkness. The miracle that apparently all 53 people wounded, many with life-threatening injuries, will recover. The heroics of the young man, bouncer and Marine, whose quick thinking allowed many to escape the carnage. The bravery of the first responders. The outpouring of love and support from the community, the nation, and the world.

Sadly, the tragedy has also produced further evil. Disparaging remarks or worse about our LGBT sisters and brothers. Irrational proposals to ban all Muslims from entering our country. Rhetoric that can only foster suspicion, fear, or worse on the part of otherwise patriotic citizens of our nation who happen to be followers of Islam. It’s as though some have been possessed by demons. Sometimes it seems our world has become possessed by demons, and we long to have the demons driven out and drowned in the sea.

In our Gospel story about the man possessed by 6,000 demons – a number revealed by his name, legion, 6,000 Roman soldiers – the people of the town have learned to live with evil. They try to keep evil at bay by chaining the possessed man and keeping him under guard in the land of the dead. But evil keeps breaking its bonds and escaping. When Jesus acts to end the evil, the people are afraid and cast out the one who has cast out the demons.

Changing the status quo can be a fearful thing. The power of God can be a fearful thing. I’m afraid we have grown accustomed to trying to keep evil at bay. Evil, it seems, has become the status quo. But unlike the Gerasenes, we are called to confront evil, to name it, and call it what it is. And unlike the Gerasenes, we welcome Jesus into our midst and ask him to cast out the demons of evil.

We probably all have our own list of what we see as evil. As I have prayed about and reflected on the Orlando tragedy and its aftermath, these are some of the evils that I see in this world:

An interpretation of faith that justifies or promotes killing those who do not share their beliefs or practices. While Christians bear plenty of responsibility for faith-based killing over the centuries, at the moment it’s radical Islam that bears the primary burden. And I think that mainstream Muslims are smart enough to understand that when we use the term “radical Islamic terrorism,” we aren’t referring to them.

Another evil is homophobia. As our Bishop says in his pastoral reflection released this past week, “the LGBT community, in spite of recent gains in civil rights, is still vulnerable; viewed as diseased and criminal in many parts of the world and frequently treated as objects of derision in our own. We would see the darkness they bear that we have put upon them.” And he goes on to say, “Embrace our LGBT sisters and brothers. Support their community with the assurance of our love for them and with deeds that reflect that love.”

Another evil, I believe, is the widespread availability and loose regulation of guns, particularly those that seem to go beyond legitimate needs for hunting or self-protection. We need a calm and informed debate on what types of firearms and magazines should be restricted to. But I fail to understand how why anyone would oppose universal background checks for all gun purchases, and why in God’s name should someone on the no-fly or terrorist suspect list be allowed to buy a gun? Count me as a skeptic when it comes to the effectiveness of gun control, particularly when it seems to be touted as the magic solution to situations such as Orlando, but some protections just seem to be no-brainers. Of course, the devil, so to speak, is in the details.

The evil of gun violence isn’t limited to acts of terrorism or mass shootings. In our own backyard, the homicide rate in Pittsburgh is more than triple the national rate. Between 2010 and 2014, 87% of Pittsburgh homicides were caused by a firearm. During that same period, the homicide rate for young African American men in Pittsburgh was 65 times the national average. 65 times!

Another evil: Donald Trump. There, I’ve said it, because I believe it needs to be said. Perhaps evil is too strong a term, but the Donald continues to display blatant prejudice and either ignorance or falsehood. Whether he’s a fool or a liar, I for one don’t want him as our President and Commander-in-Chief. His much anticipated pivot to statesman-like conduct in the general election has not been forthcoming, and I don’t think it will be. While he has successfully channeled the frustrations and anxieties of many people, I believe a number of his proposals and most of his accusations represent a unique blend of demagoguery and insecurity. If you take offense at my remarks, please know I’m an equal opportunity offender. I’m not a huge fan of Mrs. Clinton either, who has been awarded her share of Pinocchio’s by the Washington Post. And I’m definitely not feeling the Bern.

So what are we to do? Pray without ceasing. Invite Jesus to cast out the demons within us and within our culture. Invite Jesus to open the hearts and minds of those who would harm us, to bring peace to a broken and violent world. Pray that evil will ultimately destroy itself, just as the demons in our Gospel story destroy themselves.

We are left with more questions than good answers. We remember that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that.”

In our Epistle, Paul famously proclaims, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” I would take Paul’s theology one step further: we are no longer gay or straight, Latino or Anglo, black or white, Muslim or Christian. We are all one, created in the image of God, called to love our neighbor as ourself, called to heal, and called to seek the reconciliation of all people to God and one another through the power of the Holy Spirit working through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ .

In the African American community, today is known as Juneteenth, the celebration of the emancipation of the last remaining African slaves in our country. The evil of slavery took many years to overcome. The evil of racism remains with us in forms ranging from subtle to violent. This weekend we observe the one-year anniversary of the shooting deaths of nine people at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston. South Carolina. The evils of terrorism, violence, and bigotry will not be eradicated overnight. But with God, all things are possible, and we shall overcome.

Amen.