ALL SAINTS' EPISCOPAL CHURCH & PRESCHOOL
  • Home
  • About
    • The Ohana
    • The History
    • The Church
    • Episcopal 101
    • Sacraments
  • Ministries
    • Worship >
      • Pastoral Care
      • Order of St. Luke
    • Education >
      • All Saints' Preschool
      • Sunday School
      • Youth Group
    • Outreach >
      • Hospitality & Fellowship
      • Laundry Love
      • Movie Nights on the Lawn
      • Community Thanksgiving Luncheon
      • Holiday Craft Fair
      • Invite Welcome Connect
    • The Arts >
      • Organ Reconstruction Project
  • News
    • Blogs / Epistles
    • Photo & Video Gallery >
      • Archived Photos & Videos
  • GIVING
  • Contact
    • Gym Rental

Pastoral Letter: Lord, make us an instrument of your peace

10/6/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo Source: Getty Images
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Peace,

This Sunday at the 9:30AM service, we will gather for the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (more commonly known as the Blessing of the Animals). Since our earliest days in the Church, we learn about Saint Francis’ love for animals and all of God’s creation. However, Francis was much more than an animal lover. He was (and is) a prophetic voice for peace and reconciliation. More than ever, Saint Francis’ vision for peace is deeply needed in our nation and the world.

 
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
As I prepared to go to bed on Sunday, October 1st, I glanced at my iPhone to catch up on the news of the day. As I opened CNN.com I was shocked to learn of the events unfolding in Las Vegas. A joyous gathering at a country music festival was tragically transformed into the scene of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. I was in shock and deeply saddened. I wanted to help those suffering . . . but all I could do is pray—so I prayed the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis.
 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith.
The government of the United States is failing to protect the people who call this country their home. For way too many years (well before the tomfoolery of the current leadership in Washington D.C.), lawmakers have been in a polygamous relationship with both the people of this great nation and special interest lobbyists. Commentator Dan Hodges said a few years ago, “In retrospect Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate. Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over.” Since that awful day on December 14th, 2012 when a madman shot and killed 26 people including 20 first-graders, one would assume that our nation would rally together like never before and begin making the nation safer by enacting stricter gun control laws. We would assume 20 first-graders being gunned down in their classroom would make every lawmaker an immediate advocate for real change regardless of any lobbyist’s influence or party affiliation. Unfortunately, too many of our leaders merely offered heartless and soulless rhetoric aimed at placating their special interest donors and their political party’s platform. Did 20 first-graders simply die in vain?
 
Where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
Nothing has changed since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. On June 12, 2016, 49 people were killed and 58 others wounded in a hate crime inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. On October 1, 2017, 58 people were killed and another 489 injured when a gunman fired on a large crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. Since Sandy Hook, as of October 2nd, 2017, there have been at least 1,518 mass shootings in the United States, with at least 1,715 people killed and 6,089 wounded. The counts come from the Gun Violence Archive, a database that tracks events since 2013 in which four or more people (not counting the shooter) were shot at the same general time and location.
 
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.
We . . . humanity must respond to this humanitarian disaster. Guns and gun violence are tearing apart our nation, they are destroying families, and they are senselessly ending the lives of so many beautiful people. Now, more than ever, we must be instruments of peace in this world and hold accountable those who have significant access and ability to bring about peace, reconciliation, and true change.
 
For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
We are the voice of peace in this world. We are called to speak out and act on behalf of our children and for our children’s children. We must protect our brothers and sisters from violence, fear, and hatred. God’s call us to be prophetic witnesses of God’s love—a love that is always peaceful. Those who oppose love oppose peace. Those who oppose peace oppose love.
 
May God give us the strength and courage to be instruments of peace to this broken world. Furthermore, may we embody Saint Francis’ vision—to care for God’s creation with every breath of our lives.
 
Amen.
 
The Reverend Ryan D. Newman
Rector and Head of School
All Saints' Episcopal Church and Preschool
0 Comments
    Picture
    February 26, 2021
    February 19, 2021
    February 12, 2021
    ​
    February 05, 2021
    ​January 29, 2021​
    January 22, 2021

    January 15, 2021​
    January 08, 2021
    January 01, 2021
    December 25, 2020
    ​December 18, 2020
    December 11, 2020
    December 04, 2020
    November 27, 2020
    ​November 20, 2020
    November 13, 2020
    November 06, 2020
    October 30, 2020
    October 23, 2020
    ​October 16, 2020
    October 09, 2020
    October 02, 2020
    September 25, 2020
    September 18, 2020
    September 11, 2020
    September 04, 2020
    August 28, 2020
    August 21, 2020
    August 14, 2020
    August 07, 2020
    July 31, 2020
    ​July 24, 2020
    July 17, 2020
    July 10, 2020
    July 03, 2020
    ​June 26, 2020
    June 19, 2020
    ​June 12, 2020
    June 05, 2020
    ​May 29, 2020​
    May 22, 2020​
    May 15, 2020​
    May 08, 2020​
    May 01, 2020​
    April 24, 2020​
    April 17, 2020​
    April 10, 2020
    ​April 03, 2020
    March 27, 2020
    March 20, 2020 Sp Ed
    March 20, 2020
    ​March 16, 2020 Sp Ed
    March 13, 2020
    March 06, 2020
    ​February 28, 2020​
    February 21, 2020​
    February 14, 2020
    February 07, 2020
    ​January 31, 2020
    January 24, 2020
    January 17, 2020
    January 10, 2020
    January 03, 2020
    December 27, 2019
    December 20, 2019
    December 13, 2019
    December 06, 2019
    November 29, 2019
    November 22, 2019
    November 15, 2019
    November 08, 2019
    November 03, 2019
    October 25, 2019
    October 18, 2019
    October 11, 2019
    October 04, 2019
    September 27, 2019
    September 20, 2019
    September 13, 2019
    September 06, 2019
    August 30, 2019
    August 23, 2019
    August 16, 2019
    August 09, 2019
    August 02, 2019
    July 26, 2019
    July 19, 2019
    July 12, 2019
    July 05, 2019
    June 28, 2019
    ​June 21, 2019
    June 14, 2019
    June 07, 2019
    May 31, 2019
    May 24, 2019
    May 17, 2019
    May 10, 2019
    May 03, 2019
    April 26, 2019
    April 19, 2019
    April 12, 2019
    April 05, 2019
    March 29, 2019
    March 22, 2019
    March 15, 2019
    March 08, 2019​
    March 01, 2019

    February 22, 2019
    February 15, 2019
    February 08, 2019
    February 01, 2019
    January 25, 2019
    January 18, 2019 Special Ed
    January 18, 2019
    January 11, 2019
    January 04, 2019
    December 28, 2018
    December 21, 2018
    December 14, 2018
    December 07, 2018
    November 30, 2018
    November 24, 2018
    November 16, 2018
    November 09, 2018
    November 02, 2018
    October 12, 2018
    ​October 05, 2018​
    ​September 28, 2018
    September 21, 2018
    September 14, 2018
    September 07, 2018
    August 31, 2018
    August 24, 2018
    August 17, 2018
    August 10, 2018
    August 03, 2018
    July 27, 2018
    July 20, 2018
    July 13, 2018
    July 06, 2018
    June 29, 2018
    June 22, 2018
    June 15, 2018
    June 08, 2018
    June 01, 2018
    May 25, 2018
    May 18, 2018
    May 11, 2018
    May 04, 2018
    April 27, 2018
    April 20, 2018
    April 13, 2018
    April 06, 2018
    March 29, 2018
    March 16, 2018
    March 09, 2018
    March 02, 2018
    February 16, 2018
    February 08, 2018
    February 01, 2018
    January 26, 2018
    January 19, 2018
    January 12, 2018

    To view earlier issues of our "E-News", click HERE.

    BLOG Archive

    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

Picture
ALL SAINTS' EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND PRESCHOOL
4-1065 Kuhio Highway  |  PO Box 248, Kapa'a, HI 96746-0248
O: (808) 822-4267  |  F: (808) 821-2417
​EMERGENCY PASTORAL CARE: (650) 691-8104
Picture

Episcopal Church Quick Links
The Diocese of Hawaii 
The Episcopal Church 
The Episcopal News Service
More Links
​
Career Opportunities
​
​Sister Churches on Kaua'i
Christ Memorial (Kilauea)
St. Michael and All Angels (Lihue) 
​
St. John's and St. Paul's (West Kauai)

Join our Newsletter
Picture
Make an Offering