We Must Not Stand By

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

In my mid-80s and in our 99th day of sequestration from COVID-19, I dare not remove myself from the death of George Floyd, the hearts broken and inflamed, the cries and outrage of people who want liberation from the knee of hundreds of years of oppression. The psalmist tells us God hears the cry of the oppressed. If the psalms mean anything, they are cries for justice, liberation and love. They are divine words, but they must be real words praying for the messianic reign of God to be on earth as it is in heaven.

We pray for George Floyd that the angels may lead him into paradise. We pray that our eyes may be opened to the injustice of racism. Our prayers for justice are powerful and as strong as our God, and they must turn our hearts as well. But in addition to this, we are not helpless. We can call our elected representatives, we can email and write them. And we can vote. Yes, we as Christian Benedictines must never lose hope. We are called to be instruments of God’s mercy and God’s justice that lead our world into the peace of God. Let us never lose hope in the mercy of God.

Charles Preble, OblSB