It is a great country. And like most great things, it is also awe-ful. Good things and terrible things happened this week, and we are so diverse that there is no agreement on which ones were good and which ones were terrible.
Well, I guess at least most of us agree that when a man with a hate-filled heart murders nine people, that is terrible. Still, there are some hate-filled hearts that don’t quite see it that way. I had to cover my face when I saw this in front of the capitol when Roxie and I walked there this week.
Two posts from St. P’s this week.
The first one, at the top of the weekly prayer list were these unfamiliar names:
- Cynthia Hurd
- The Rev. Clementa Pinckney
- The Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton
- Tywanza Sanders
- Ethel Lance
- The Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor
- Susie Jackson
- Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr.
- Myra Thompson
Last Sunday in church when the leader began to read out these names, I thought, “Why don’t I know who these people are? I know almost everyone at St. P’s.” Then it dawned on me and I had to cover my face again.
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Some other significant things happened in this great country this week, and, again, folks are not in agreement about them.
June is a busy month for announcements from our Supreme Court. In a complicated ruling, the justices saved the ADA.
I know a couple of things about taking care of the sick.
For one, since the very bumpy start the ADA had in Oregon, 60% of people who were previously uninsured now are. How bad is that?
For another, a wise and compassionate man who was in the healing business a very long time ago told a story about someone who spent some of his own money to take care of a sick person he happened to see on the roadside. At the end of the story, the teller said, “Now, you go and do this too.” I see a connection.
And the second post from St. P’s, on Facebook this morning, looked like this:
You know, there will be people who will leave the church over this. And there are people who are buying up Confederate symbols while they still can. And people who are posting hate-full comments about the poor and sick along our roadsides who “want something for nothing.”
Ah, well. Let them be full of pride about their great wisdom in these matters. As for me, my heart seems to be rejoicing. I just can’t help it, after so much sadness, it does feel like a festival day.