My heart broke this week in seeing the news of Daniel Prude. I cannot imagine the pain and grief his family faces right now.
We have walked an arduous road as a society through heated discussions on the pandemic, racial reckoning, policing, and politics. It’s sobering to see the city where you live to become a headline in the news.
I have wondered if my prayers can make a difference at times during this season. Justice and mercy seem miles apart rather than a beautiful tension that offers us clarity. Grace and truth feel like convenient virtues for people deemed deserving. Like many of the writers of scripture, we’re asking, “Where are You, God?”
Father Eric Ockrin, a local pastor and friend, responded to a Facebook group post to pray for Rochester by saying, “Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.” In times like these, we find ourselves waiting on God’s mercy to shine through the darkness.
Part of me knew I would pastor in Upstate New York. Growing up in Binghamton gave me a heart to serve the people of this region. In my seven years in Rochester, I have grown to love serving the people of this area through Browncroft Community Church.
Like many of you, we find ourselves trying to respond to the current events in light of the gospel. The Why God Why podcast that I host featured several episodes on racism starting back in June.
Our number one episode with the most listens included two high school students, Chloe and Zipporah Sparkman, responding to the question, “Why is everyone just starting to talk about racism?” They shared their very heartfelt experiences in Rochester.
We had the opportunity to interview Chief La’Ron Singletary from the Rochester Police Department. In another podcast from Browncroft, Mayor Lovely Warren was interviewed. These conversations and many others have swirled through my mind this week, reminding me of this season’s challenges and nuances.
In the movie Any Given Sunday, Al Pacino says, “We either heal as a team, or we will crumble.”
Healing requires the messy work of surgery of the heart. Healing requires us to climb out the darkness. Healing means having the necessary conversations. Healing comes with far more patience and grace than we have to offer.
We have a challenging road to healing in the next few months or even years. We’re a city that’s grieving. We’re a city that has difficult conversations on the horizon.
I love Rochester. I lament for us right now. I also have hope. Jesus walked through the excruciating death on the cross to reconcile us to Him and each other. The good news of the gospel holds the tension of justice and mercy, along with grace and truth.
So for my Rochester family, keep praying. Do the hard work of peacemaking, because that’s what Jesus has done for us. Listen to the voices outside your newsfeed. I find myself coming back to the words of Father Ockrin, “Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.”
In our prayers, I hope we follow with action what God will call us to do.
Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash