Below are my reflections about the attacks in Paris (and beyond), along with the prayer I wrote for the occasion, both of which I shared with the congregation on Sunday. I wrote them before knowing exactly how the debate and the response to Paris would take shape. I had an idea of how it would go, however, for I am, like you, familiar with fear and what it can do. Fear does not always bring out the better angels of our nature. It puts us into fight or flight mode, which is why we react the way we do when scared. There are lots of scary things in the world, terrorism being just one of them. And yet, this is not new. It has always been this way, and will always be this way. This is why we hear the phrases, “Do not fear,” and “Be not afraid,” throughout scripture, particularly when God shows up in some fashion. If it’s serious enough that God needs to show up and/or get our attention, that’s a good place to start. If we are not able to lay our fears aside, it makes it all the more difficult to hear what God has to say to us. This was a weekend God showed up, and needed to show up, and it is indeed a good place to start. Here’s what I shared on Sunday:
We are all saddened and dismayed at the display of evil in Paris this weekend that has taken the lives of so many, injured even more, and sent a ripple of fear throughout France, Europe, and the world. Fear is the currency of terrorism, and unfortunately, it works, to the extent that we let it.
Terrorism is one of, and will always be one of the prices we pay for freedom. Freedom hinges on a trust between people, people who generally want good things for the other. But there will always be those who abuse it, distort it, and warp it, and take advantage of it in order to achieve their own ends. We know this reality on a deeper level, and through the lens of our faith as well. Sin is one of the prices we pay for free will. God grants us the ability to make the choices we would or wouldn’t make, knowing that at times we too choose evil; that all of us will at times choose other than God would want us to choose.
Yet, just as we have a God who redeems us and our poor/sinful choices, so too do we believe in a God who can redeem the world even with all the ugliness and hate we experience in it. When we meet such utter hatred and evil in the world, we are called to do the hardest of things in response: to find our way to respond in love. Love is the only lasting effective response to hate. As Dr. King said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” This is the example of our Lord, who even as he was being killed prayed, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Our natural responses in addition to grief are likely to include anger, and rightly so. It should anger us when such terrible things happen; when innocent lives are stolen from friends and family; when fanatics preach hate and holy war. But we cannot live in anger over the long term. We must let our anger be a righteous anger, and resist its transformation into a violent anger. We must resist the vengeful instinct to blame and categorize and demonize, any further than those directly responsible for such heinous acts.
For today, all of our emotions are appropriate. This is a raw wound in the fabric of our humanity. It touches us, not only because it reminds us of our own experiences with and fears of terrorism, but because anyone harmed in such a way effects all of us. This is why we pray for the people of Paris and France. It is also why we pray today for the people of Beirut and Lebanon, where another attack killed nearly 50 and injured five times that many the day before Paris, even though we may not have heard much about it. It is why we pray for any peoples affected by attacks on the innocent no matter where they come from, what language they speak, or what their religion. Terrorism is an attack on the fundamental freedoms of all people, namely the freedom to live, which all of us are created to enjoy.
As we get beyond our initial reactions we must not let fear or terror or those who would wield them, win the day. Those who commit such acts would like nothing better than to disrupt our way of life or cause us to fear one another and lose our ability
to reach out with open arms to others. We must not let that happen. We must find ways to entrust our selves and those we love to God’s purposes and plans for this world, which culminate in peace and justice, grounded in faith, hope, and love. We must become the light that overcomes darkness, not joining the darkness, but chasing it away. We must rejoice at the way communities come together to aid one another in times of need; the way nations and peoples stand firm together across borders and oceans; we must celebrate those who help and open their doors; we must celebrate the light wherever we find it. The love of Christ is the light in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it. That light can and will be brighter than the darkness in the days to come, as it always is has been, and as it always will be.
Let us pray.
Oh merciful God you have made the world and everything in it, and everyONE in it. When you were done creating you surveyed what you hade made and called it good. You called us good, and you love us accordingly, despite our shortcomings.
From the first generation humankind has sinned. From the second generation we have murdered one another. Still, you love us, and have continued to love us as generation after generation has strayed from your ways.
We ask you to continue to work in the hearts of your people - all of your people - to seek love and not give in to fear and those who sow hatred; to seek reconciliation instead of division; to seek peace instead of violence; to seek justice instead of vengeance. We do not fully understand the evil that is present in the world yet we acknowledge it, we grieve it, and we bear it. We know that your gift of free will is itself a two-edged sword, and we trust that your design, your creative and Holy Spirit which kindles light and love in the human heart will triumph.
We pray this day for all the victims of the attacks in Paris; the attack in Beirut; the innocent victims of terrorism and violence in every corner of the world. We pray that you would welcome your children who have died into your loving embrace, granting them the promise and peace of an eternal life with you.
We pray for those who are injured, who will now bear the scars and wounds of such attacks in physical, emotional, and spiritual ways for the rest of their life. Help them to find peace and comfort and to rely on those who reach out to them with healing hands.
We pray for those who mourn this day, that they could come to trust in your promises of life beyond death for their loved ones. Comfort them in their grief and loss, and in the darkness of these days, help them to find the light that surrounds them.
We pray for all those who help in times of crisis, who become the hands and feet of your son.
We pray for all those who work to keep us safe, both here and around the world, who put their lives at risk to protect ours.
We pray for ourselves, as we struggle to follow the example of your Lord, the example of faith, hope, love, peace, and forgiveness, even to and especially towards our enemies.
Defend us from the assaults of our enemies, that trusting in your defense we may not fear the power of any adversaries.
Defend us from all evil, that we may at last come to share in that heavenly country where there is no hatred, no war, no violence, no want, where your saints forever sing your praises.
In your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The last three petitions are adapted from collects found in The Book of Common Prayer