Redefining what it means to be a person of faith in today's world
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords: Speaking for the Soul
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An insightful reflection from Rev. Diana Butler Bass in response to the shooting that occurred this morning in Arizona involving Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Follow the link HERE.
I am sitting in a Panera in Cleveland, TN on this early, rainy Monday morning. This is the first Monday in recent memory that I haven’t been rushing to wake up and roll out of bed to speed off to work. It is also the first time in almost a year that I have left Charlotte, NC for more than one day. I’m on vacation…something I haven’t really experienced in quite a while.
I wrote a blog this morning responding to the tragedy in Japan and the entire Pacific Rim. It was poorly written and emotional. I am not saying that is bad. Tragedy occurring during Lent has become a bit of a hot-button issue for me. So while I affirm my frustrations and the difficulty of understanding why tragedies seem to go hand-in-hand with this particular liturgical season in my life, I don’t really feel like ranting against God or bemoaning my state of existence does anyone any good. And so I deleted it. Instead, today let us take moments to lift prayer to whomever we pray for the loss felt around our world today and for the recovery of those who have lost everything.
I debated for the last two hours whether or not to write a response to the tragedy that happened in North Carolina tonight. In fact, it took me more than twenty minutes to even write that first sentence. How do you express outrage and sadness while trying to maintain civility toward an opposing opinion? Something I learned while studying Christian Ethics in college was the idea of generosity. It is important in civil discourse to extend a hand of grace to someone who believes something completely in the face of your own convictions. It is difficult, yes, but utterly necessary in order to foster genuine dialog. But tonight I am having difficulty extending that hand. So, if you will allow me this evening to speak from my own social location without fully considering or giving voice to other opinions, I would appreciate it. In essence, I am asking you to extend a hand of grace and understanding in my direction.
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