I was planning on breaking my blogging silence with a reflection and summary of my time spent at the conference of the International Thomas Merton Society a couple of weeks ago (which included a day trip to the Abbey of Gethsemani). I'm still planning on doing that, but in light of this week's events, that seems unimportant right now.
I have nothing to add to the many fine reflections offered these past few days, either regarding the tragic nature of the death of nine people at Emanuel AME in Charleston, or the racism that motivated their killing. This one hits particularly close to home since the shooter was a member of an ELCA congregation, and two of those killed graduated from the ELCA seminary in South Carolina, and I have friends who knew them.
So, I have no words of my own to add. I would simply note that during times like these, the focus on the Psalms within Benedictine spirituality has given me these words (from Psalm 13) to ponder when I think about the state of our country:
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
