sacramental effort

As a young, white male clergy voice, I think one of the most important things I can continue to say about recent events in our nation publicly is this: You can love police. You can support #blacklivesmatter . You can do both of these things at the same time. Loving police does not mean you don't want to examine and change the system in which they are functioning. A few things that might be worth taking a look at from a Dallas, TX perspective as an exampe: Local ordinances: in Dallas, police are allowed 72 hours before an officer is required to report/give testimony about an officer involved shooting which provides ample time for bad actors to manipulate corroboration and is unjust as no other citizen has this privilege. Drug testing: in Dallas, the DPD Internal Affairs does not drug test police after a shooting incident, or at least they are not required to; if drug tests happen after work place incidents, why don't they happen if a police officer ends up shooting som...

“Do not pass me by,” the stranger cries, hungry from lack of food. We are neighbors to those in need of nutrition. “Do not pass me by,” the battered spouse cries, trapped in an abusive relationship. We are neighbors to those in need of protection. “Do not pass me by,” the LGBTQ teenager cries, homeless after their family rejects them for who they are. We are neighbors to those in need of belonging. “Do not pass me by,” the black life cries, dying on American streets quickly from violent oppression, and slowly from the poverty of inequality. We are neighbors to those in need of justice. “Do not pass me by,” the refugee cries, their home unrecognizable now, We are neighbors to those in need of safe shores. “Do not pass me by,” Jesus cries, whose face is reflected in all who are oppressed, victimized, beset by tragedy, and in need. We are neighbors to the stranger among us to whom we are called to be radically hospitable. We are neighbors to the  world around us to wh...