Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

This week the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson has grabbed my attention. Aside from hashtags, news reports of looting and violence, and a flurry of media attention, the death of 18 year old Michael Brown is a tragedy that should have been avoided, and reminds us of our country's deeply troubling racial and ethnic divides. On Sunday, I gathered with a group of concerned representatives from Fresno's local church to stand in solidarity with Ferguson, holding our hands up in honor of Brown's final stand as he was gunned down in the street. I stood with black, brown, and Asian sisters and brothers because it is not okay that these things happen in this country. I stood with them to remind our city that we face the same challenges as Ferguson and much of the rest of the country. Our racial wounds are ripped open afresh.

I would rather draw attention to the voices of other people of color rather than continue with my own thoughts of the tragedy. One of my favorites is a challenging piece by blogger Austin Channing. Her piece details the effects of the shooting and how we can respond. It's not for the faint of heart, but it offers wisdom in the face of senseless violence. Another article by Seattle based pastor Eugene Cho writes on a few ways that that the church can address the incident. The key is that the church responds, and does not let the silence of the pulpit rob the deep work of racial reconciliation fall by the wayside yet again.

Ultimately, I mourn for the sake of Ferguson, for Michael Brown, for Trayvon Martin, for Oscar Grant. They represented the hopes and futures of our communities, even if they had their flaws. Let us not turn a blind eye to the pain, but embrace it in the hopes that it will bring us closer to the other. Let us cling to the hope that Christ offers when he says "Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)"

Tonight, I mourn. Lord, have mercy.