The Love of God - Conclusion

The verse: John 3:16

For God so loves the world, God gave God’s one and only, unique, begotten Son that anyone who believes in him might stop dying and live an abundant never ending life.

Emily Reid

“Among the deadliest mass shootings in history” is a headline I have seen 13 times in my 20 years of life.

San Bernardino, Newton, Las Vegas and now Parkland. It seems America as a county is asking “when will it end?” But it won’t end. It will happen again. And we will all send our thoughts and our prayers to the affected area, praying for the families and the friends of those who died. But praying most of all, that we aren’t next – that the next mass shooting won’t happen to our community, our school, our church.

What is it about guns that make them so difficult for defenders to give up? Does having a weapon in your pocket make you feel better about yourself? Does shooting practice every couple of weeks help your confidence? Or maybe you really are standing up for the Second Amendment.

So, let’s talk about that for a second, the amendment that is dripping in the blood of thousands of innocent Americans lives: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

So much of the constitution is rooted in the Founding Fathers’ fear of a tyrannical government. In that time, it was typical for nations to use a standing army against their own people. So, our constitution writers decided that our new nation would instead rely on citizen militias, which would constitute of ordinary men who would provide their own weapons.

The Founding Fathers were intelligent and wise men, however, they were incapable of seeing the future. They had no clue that guns could, and would, become weapons of mass destruction. Weapons, which, like the AR-15, were designed for military troops to kill enemy fighters and are now in the hands of 19-year-old boys on a rampage of revenge. There are guns which are capable of shooting 100 rounds a minute, capable of inflicting unspeakable tragedy.

The astronomical rate of mass shootings doesn’t happen anywhere else. The United States only has about 5 percent of the world’s population, but it has 31 percent of mass shootings. If this was a mental health problem, as gun rights activists explain it, then the United States would have more mental health issues than other developed countries. But when you compare the data from World Health Organization for the spending rate for mental health care, the number of healthcare professionals, and the rate of severe mental disorders, the U.S. is in line with other countries.

While mental health issues may be a contributing factor, it is not the root cause of all this violence. So, the discrepancy comes down to guns. It’s commonly known the U.S. leads in number of guns in the world. It’s hard to exactly pin down how many, but The Washington Post reported in 2015 that there were 357 million – even more staggering when you realize that equates to 40 million more guns than the population of the U.S. at the time.

Another common argument against gun control, is that criminals don’t care about laws, and they would acquire a gun anyway. After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, federal legislation made it more difficult to obtain bomb-making supplies, and a study by Indiana State University found that bombings have become less frequent since . In 1996, Australia faced a mass shooting which killed 35 people. It shocked the nation so much, they implemented strict gun control. They haven’t had a mass shooting since.

So, what do we do? Because it’s evident now more than ever that thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. Thoughts and prayers don’t save lives.

In the 1960’s, when cars became widely accessible, and subsequently more people started dying from them, our nation’s leaders addressed the problem by deeming it a public safety issue. They limited access to them and implemented regulations such as the driver’s license, age limits, test’s on road safety and rulings on car companies to ensure manufacturing safety. Why can’t we treat guns like cars?

This is an excerpt of an article published in the University of Missouri - Kansas City paper. In 2018. I would call it prophetic, but in reality, she saw the truth: without true repentance, there is no change. Without people willing to fight for true pro-life policy, everything about the events of the last two weeks will continue. This Memorial Day weekend, when we remember those who have died in service to their country it seems fitting to add the names of those who have died as casualties of a war that they didn’t know they were in, a war of rights vs safety, a war that has recruited radicalized soldiers who want others to know their cause, but who only know their cause as the rantings of others - others they’ve potentially never met in real life, others who have urged them whether explicitly or implicitly to live out their self hate through violent outburst. We remember mothers and fathers and grandfathers and children, all of whom were doing routine things on a routine day that became infamous. I am naming the victims of the two large scale events at the conclusion of this message, but according to gun violence archive. com, there have been 65 deaths due to mass casualty gun violence in May. Sixty-five.

What, you might ask, does all of this have to do with our message series? A lot. Because the reality is that if we actually understand the way that God loves, if we understand what that love means for us and for everyone else in the world, if we truly grab hold of the idea that we are to be love in a a world that has been deceived into believing outrage and division are the reality we have to get used to, meanwhile, we have a responsibility to work both ends: finding ways to reduce access to deadly weapons by everyone and reducing the number of radicalized persons by eliminating the factors that create them: no health care, no money, no food, no care....and as the church, we are responsible to God for our efforts in these directions We have an obligation to live out the love of God in our daily lives in ways that include more than thoughts and prayers but earnest prayers are necessary. We pray for peace, while we march to battle armed with love in the shape of cans of formula at our borders, kindness in the form of bottles of water to those in long lines to vote, grace in the way we challenge others to think differently about rights and life; as we pray we move our feet, our bodies, and respond. We do not only celebrate Ukranian refugees being safely homed in neighboring countries, but Honduran refugees being brought to safety in Nogales, Texas. We recognize that violence begets violence - that state sanctioned school to prison pipelines are evil, that executing persons is not a punishment we are equipped to administer, that justice starts with food and money and healthcare and housing and that imprisoning people who are already bound by addiction and hopelessness does not promote anything but more hopelessness and addiction.

This message is not just for the local church, this is for the global Church - the Church that ought to care for each and every person in this world to the best of her ability, as a shadow of the very real way that God loves them more than we could ever ask or imagine. I’m angry this morning, Church - angry at my own ambivalence, angry at the continued deception that plagues so many, those who have been blinded by the bright glare of their leaders who preach love for those who look like us, who act like us, and who live like us and the rest be damned and feared. The terrorists throughout history have heard these messages, have grabbed hold of them and have acted them out. We need to serve as anti-terrorist weapons: speaking the message of hope, proclaiming the love of God and the reality that God’s love, perfect love, casts out fear and provides a way forward that beats the AR-15 into a plow, that casts the sword away, and heals the wounds of division and hurt in the light of a love we cannot fathom and a grace we cannot earn.

In the meantime, we memorialize these casualties of war. These casualties who did not volunteer for battle, but whose unnecessary deaths merit recognition.

On Saturday, May 15, these people died while grocery shopping:

Roberta A. Drury of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 32

Margus D. Morrison of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 52

Andre Mackneil of Auburn, N.Y. – age 53

Aaron Salter of Lockport, N.Y. – age 55

Geraldine Talley of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 62

Celestine Chaney of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 65

Heyward Patterson of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 67

Katherine Massey of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 72

Pearl Young of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 77

Ruth Whitfield of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 86

Nine days later, on Tuesday, May 24, these 21 people died while in a school building:

Makenna Lee Elrod, 10

Layla Salazar, 11

Maranda Mathis, 11

Nevaeh Bravo, 10

Jose Manuel Flores Jr., 10

Xavier Lopez, 10

Tess Marie Mata, 10

Rojelio Torres, 10

Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia, 9

Eliahna A. Torres, 10

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10

Jackie Cazares, 9

Uziyah GarciaJayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10

Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10

Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10

Irma Garcia, 48

Eva Mireles, 44

Amerie Jo Garza, 10

Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubio, 10

Alithia Ramirez, 10

Let us pray:

Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in your will,

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Holy and gracious Father:In your infinite love you made us

for yourself, and, when wehad fallen into sin and become

subject to evil and death,you, in your mercy, sent Jesus

Christ, your only andeternal Son, to share our human

nature, to live and die asone of us, to reconcile us to you, the

God and Father of all.

He stretched out his armsupon the cross, and offered himself,

in obedience to your will,a perfect sacrifice for the whole

world.

On the night he was handedover to suffering and death, our

Lord Jesus Christ tookbread; and when he had given thanks

to you, he broke it (breakbread), and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take,

eat: This is my Body, whichis given for you. Do this for the

remembrance of me."

After supper he took thecup of wine (raise cup); and when he had given

thanks, he gave it to them,and said, "Drink this, all of you:

This is my Blood of the newCovenant, which is shed for you

and for many for theforgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink

it, do this for theremembrance of me."

Therefore we proclaim themystery of faith together:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorialof our redemption, O Father, in

this sacrifice of praiseand thanksgiving. Recalling his death,

resurrection, and ascension,we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your HolySpirit to be for your people the

Body and Blood of your Son,the holy food and drink of new

and unending life in him.Sanctify us also that we may faithfully

receive this holySacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy,

and peace; and at the lastday bring us with all your saints

into the joy of youreternal kingdom.

All this we ask throughyour Son Jesus Christ: By him, and

with him, and in him, inthe unity of the Holy Spirit all honor

and glory is yours,Almighty Father, now and forever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior

Christ has taught us,

we are bold to saytogether,

Our Father, who art inheaven,

hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our dailybread.

And forgive us ourtrespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not intotemptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

(Facing the people, theCelebrant says the following Invitation)

The Gifts of God for thePeople of God.

(Everyone comes up to receive)

Let us pray.

Celebrant and People

Eternal God, heavenlyFather,

you have graciouslyaccepted us as living members

of your Son our SaviorJesus Christ,

and you have fed us withspiritual food

in the Sacrament of hisBody and Blood.

Send us now into the worldin peace,

and grant us strength andcourage

to love and serve you

with gladness andsingleness of heart;

through Christ our Lord.Amen.

Benediction: Go with the knowledge that you are loved, you matter, you are enough. You are dismissed.