A Beautiful Witness

Back in 2015, our hearts were broken when we heard the news about our sisters and brothers in Christ whose lives were taken while they were in prayer at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. It was a cowardly act of violence against innocent people—and an act born out of racial hatred.

Yet what amazed me was the response from that congregation. Their witness to the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ was truly inspiring.

Nadine Collier, daughter of 70-year-old victim Ethel Lance, said to the killer, “You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you. And have mercy on your soul.”

Bethane Middleton-Brown, sister of another victim, said, “I acknowledge that I am very angry, but [my sister] taught me that we are the family that love built. We have no room for hating.”

That kind of love and forgiveness—as hard as it is to offer—diffuses hatred. It stops it in its tracks. It allows the family and friends to grieve with dignity and peace.

Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Let us pray:  God of hope, we don’t understand how or why something like this would happen, or why violence like this continues to happen. Why the hatred? We continue to pray for the families and friends of those who have lost their lives to senseless gun violence. Even as our hearts break with them, we pray for our country. We ask for wisdom and unity among our leaders to help solve this ongoing crisis. And we ask that your Spirit would be at work to heal and make us whole again. Amen.