My late grandmother used to say, "We have enough to pray over." She was and is correct. Yes, there have been challenging times in decades and centuries past. But this is a particularly challenging time in which we live. And it is our time. We need not dismiss the worries of our current reality by saying, “But other people have lived in hard times. Maybe even harder times.” As if it were a competition. As if the challenges of these days do not matter.
I have been thinking of you, dear friends, as another school shooting took place earlier this week at a Catholic School in Minneapolis. May we never grow weary of working for common-sense gun reform. May we never grow weary of extending compassion to those impacted by the reality of gun violence. Another world is possible.
We heard of the violent attack on Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, leaving two children dead and several injured. My mind raced to memories I have of time spent in the area. As many of you are aware, my husband, Paul, was born and raised in Minnesota. My heart broke for the family and people I know and love in the state known as “Star of the North.” We have Catholic friends in the area, some of whom have taught in Catholic schools. Yes, we have enough to pray over–and sometimes praying can feel like a shallow and inadequate response in the face of great pain and injustice. I appreciated the bold words of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, “Don't just say, this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.” He went on to condemn hateful, false, and transphobic speech in the wake of the shooting.
