When Our Neighbours Hurt

Last week I wrote about the #MeToo movement. This week I feel compelled to write about the youth at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida. They have received a wave of support from their peers and others to make changes to gun legislation after yet another horrific school shooting. Seeing their courage has moved me and, as a worshiper said to me Sunday after the service, the adults are acting like children and the kids are acting like adults and we should be more like them.

Response has been intense to this latest event in what has seemed a wild west of politics to many of us in Canada since Trump’s election as President. It is hard for us to understand our neighbours to the south and how they cling so tightly to their right to own a wide array of weapons when the cost can be so high. It is hard to know how to respond as a church to the continuing division, pain and politicking taking place and filling our news feed. What can we do from our vantage point?

1. We can pray for positive change, for wisdom and logic to prevail, for those who have suffered loss to find healing, for those who have been traumatized to find peace through counseling and other support. We can pray that people are able to listen and respect each other, that lawmakers are empowered to value human life over corporate profits and gun lobbyists. We can pray for peace.

2. And because, while prayers can be effective and are the easiest thing for us to do, “thoughts and prayers” are again ringing hollow, we can make sure that we are not being hypocritical. We can take action to work for peace in our own neighbourhoods and communities. Gun violence is still in Canada, particularly in metropolitan areas. We can press for a safer reality here and model ways of achieving this to others.

3. We can send notes and cards of encouragement to students at the school and their teachers and administrators. We can offer well wishes and let them know we are thinking of them. We can write on social media and encourage the bravery of this generation of young people who are standing up for their lives and challenging a seemingly ambivalent status quo.

4. We can talk with our young people and program volunteers about mental health concerns and what help is available, being careful to be appropriate to the age of the learners. Contact your local CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) if you are unsure of what would be helpful. By assisting our own young people in processing what has happened and having an awareness of triggers for violent behaviour, we can possibly avert more tragedy.

5. We can talk about justice and standing in solidarity with others. We can talk about courage and how God can use us at any age to initiate change that will bring about peace and healing and reconciliation. We can learn positive ways of doing this and making our voices heard.  

6. We can respect the deep sorrow and suffering of those affected by having conversations about violence in movies, video games and other media. We can grapple with the impact of consuming “dark” content and how supporting its production with our $$$ perpetuates a society where violence is acceptable.

I’ve seen many posts on facebook that concern me about this issue – both those which glorify Canada for not having these issues and those who seem resigned that only the young people will force this change. We may have far less of an issue in Canada but we still have to deal with violence and weapons and hate causing suffering. Young people may have more passion and energy than many of us, but it is our job as adults to nurture and care about their future.

There is much that we can do to be good neighbours in this time of crisis and tension. May we step up with our compassion and concern, and our sense of justice balanced with mercy. May God be so welcome in this conversation and situation that peace and change come swiftly.