"Breaking the Laws of Motion"

“How will you react?”

“What will you say?”

These are the questions that swirl around my head whenever there is a national tragedy or acts of senseless violence because there is an expectation from those who lead our faith communities that we respond, that we put into perspective, or at least offer some sense of comfort.

I admit that whenever I see something like the school shooting at the Catholic school in Minneapolis, the last thing I want to do is watch the news or check social media. I want to know what is happening. I want to be aware and informed, but I also know that tuning in or scrolling my social media feed means watching and reading what has become an unfiltered, often uninformed, and vitriolic response. The media world is an excellent vehicle for everyone to express their opinions and reactions. The only problem is that not every opinion or reaction is equal in value. I have opinions on a wide range of topics, and I believe I can articulate them intelligently. However, that doesn’t mean my opinion has value. In fact, my view may do more harm than good. 

"I have opinions on a wide range of topics, and I believe I can articulate them intelligently. However, that doesn’t mean my opinion has value. In fact, my view may do more harm than good."

The moments after a tragedy or act of violence are a cacophony of voices trying to find out what happened so that they can interpret for others how they should feel, behave, and believe. As a former journalist, I recall how carefully we were instructed to craft each word we wrote, knowing that we would be shaping the public discussion and debate on a wide range of topics. We were taught that presenting facts was of more value than pursuing our personal agenda. In a world where anyone can be a journalist, each of us has a responsibility not only to tell the truth but also to embody the sympathy and empathy that should accompany our basic humanity. 

As a Christian, I believe that Christ has called me to understand that the way of the world, the way of sin and death, cannot be conquered with the tools of the evil one. The tools of anger, destruction, violence, hatred, and vengeance are right in front of us. They are shiny and tempting. However, they will never prevail because they only create more suffering and death. Christ knew, and embodied in his manner of death, that just as there are laws of motion in physics, there are laws of motion in the spiritual life. Sir Isaac Newton taught in his first law of motion that a body in motion or at rest tends to stay in motion or at rest unless acted on by an outside force. In order to create any change in the trajectory of an object, something from outside that object must act. If we want to see real change in the world, in the ways that things have either gone awry in their motion or remained stuck at rest, then we must as Christians discern how we are going to act, how we are going to move.  

"Why do we ignore this reality in the spiritual life? Why do I find myself constantly wanting to counter the hatred and sin of the world by screaming at others, proving that I am right and they are wrong on a message board, or forgetting that even those who commit evil can be victims themselves?"

Why do we ignore this reality in the spiritual life? Why do I find myself constantly wanting to counter the hatred and sin of the world by screaming at others, proving that I am right and they are wrong on a message board, or forgetting that even those who commit evil can be victims themselves? It’s because the Christ-like life doesn’t appear shiny to the rest of the world. Love, mercy, and forgiveness are not shiny weapons that give us the satisfaction of conquering others, of claiming the righteous high ground.

It doesn’t help that we also want simple solutions to complicated issues. Real and lasting change in a person's life, a faith community's life, and in the world comes through gradual transformation. There may be a dramatic moment of realization and conversion, but that one moment is strengthened by the daily call to holiness. I don’t have easy answers. I only have the tools left by Christ to transform the world. I have to choose to shed the weapons of the evil one.    

My reaction to tragedies and senseless violence has not changed. My voice will be used first and foremost for prayer. I will pray for the victims. I will pray for their families. I will pray for the souls of all those who have been lost. And then I will pause and allow the Spirit of God to speak, because God’s voice is often a whisper and not a shout. And then I will allow the Spirit of God to move in my life and the life of my faith community as I remind them of Christ’s call to love God and their neighbor. I will preach to them that the tools of sympathy and empathy, of mercy and faith, are what will build the kingdom of God. And in the kingdom of God that Christ came to proclaim, there is no violence or tragedy, no suffering or tears; instead, every child comes home to their parents because people have laid down their weapons, taken up their cross, and followed the savior. 

Each of us must choose how we will react not only to this tragedy but to the next one, because until the kingdom of God thrives within the hearts of all people, the evil one will use our hands to build swords instead of pruning shears and sow tears instead of joy.