Dear friends of Jesus Christ:

I was crestfallen a week ago today when I heard about the tragic loss of life and the enormous physical and moral injury inflicted upon those left behind. My dismay is multi-layered. First of all, there is an apparent singling out of a particular racial, ethnic group. I am well aware that the presumed perpetrator claims otherwise regarding targeting. But layered upon the clear ratcheting up of violence in word and deed toward Asian Americans, race and ethnicity cannot be discounted as a salient factor. The resurgence of anti-Asian rhetoric and violence is hardly new. Old as it is it is nevertheless unacceptable in a civil society. It is abhorrent for people of Christian faith. Or at least it ought to be. We are those who make the claim that upon every person is stamped the image of God. If that which we have preached and taught is true it cannot be true only as an intellectual exercise. It must be embodied.

Secondly the alleged gunman claims in affect that he was trying to exorcise the demonic forces that haunted him. I fully support anyone running in the opposite direction of bad behaviors. But running toward firearms and then turning them outward toward the perceived source of temptation is bad theology and terrible sociology. It is too simplistic and places all of ones troubles outside of the self and is therefore and avoidance of real soul work. Further, in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, violence as a problem-solving method personal or societal is short sighted at best and no solution at all at worst.

We have been tracing the life and ministry of Jesus during these Lenten days. Next week, Holy Week, we reach a particular climax. One of the things that dawns on me anew at this stage in the liturgical cycle each year is how much Jesus identifies with our hopes and dreams as well as our pain and suffering. In the course of that he seeks to break the cycles of violence, rage, alienation, and hatred. The message of every Easter is his victory over the worst makes it possible for us to be victorious over all the obstacles to living a God centered, abundant life. But it starts with owning our stuff and standing with all of our wounded fellow pilgrims on the human journey. This week we must name our Asian sisters and brothers specifically and stand with them and for them against all that would seek to dehumanize them. In the name of Jesus let’s stand with each and all upon whom the image of God is imprinted.

Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus.

+Bishop Gregory V. Palmer