Staying Awake

The birdsong is late this morning. A turn in the seasons as I hear the tree cicadas' gentle hum. As the birds wake up, my attention is peaked. I wonder, how many birds play in this morning symphony? Where every voice, every chirp is part of the melody.

While on a walk in the woods this summer in search of quiet, I laid down on my back and gazed skyward. The breeze prompted the branches to sway. Their leaves quivered with every puff of wind. I was awake to the sound of the traveling whispers. Consoled in that moment, I basked in creation. All was well as the birds called out and the soft breeze swept across my face.

My senses heightened, I was aware and attentive to sights, sounds and smells. I noted evidence of the approaching autumn that left traces on the leaves fallen to the ground. A change was coming. 

Jesus tells us, “Stay awake!” To what, exactly? Nature walks help me to notice God’s wonders, reminding me that I am not the one who created this world. I am not the center. Yet, I belong to it. In my attempts to be attentive in the world of people, I look to Jesus’ life to guide my engagement and relationships.

I want to be awake to what Jesus was aware and attentive to. He spent time with sinful people. He ate with them, taught and healed them, even calling them to discipleship. He was aware of what others would think when he touched and healed the leper, the cripple, the blind man and the demoniac. He spoke to and healed women. His actions were considered impure by the elite. How could he touch these people? The sick need a physician, he said, not the healthy.

Fr. Greg Boyle, author of Cherished Belonging, often calls us to recognize that all people are cherished by God, even those who are not mentally well. It is a difficult truth to accept. Yet, no healthy or whole person decides to harm children and then take one’s own life. 

Children and adults who lived through the tragedy in Minneapolis are suffering. Words of comfort don’t seem enough of a response. Maybe our response needs to be personal sacrifice.  I wonder, are we unwilling to make the sacrifices needed to keep our children and each other safe? Jesus made countless sacrifices in order to spread God’s kingdom. His ultimate sacrifice, his life, for the love of humanity ought to wake us up to what is needed in this moment. 

From my perspective on the ground, looking up through the tree branches, I’m struck by the swaying and the rootedness, both at once. We sometimes bend, slow down, make accommodations, stoop to help someone. From our core, we respond out of concern for the well-being of others. Can we bend in spite of the fear of being uprooted?

In my attempt to stay awake, to birdsong and to suffering, I want to see how God sees. I believe that God holds every child, every adult suffering. God embraces those who died. God calls us to open our eyes and to sacrifice in order to prevent this horrific act from taking place again. 

God,

You sent Jesus to teach us to “stay awake” to your presence. I fear we are asleep. Asleep to the needs of our children, the sacrifices we need to make to protect them. Asleep to the needs of the suffering whose anguish we ignore.

We pray for the children caught in the violence, for the ones who died, for the adults and families who are grieving. For the shooter’s mother who suffers with the weight of the tragedy. For the shooter. Your mercy knows no limits. 

You who created us in love and for love,

In our brokenness, lead us to see the root causes of the violence in our midst.

Instead of responding out of fear and anger, give us the courage to respond from a place of love and nonviolence. Help us to make the sacrifices we need to make.

Show us the ways we can support those struggling with mental illness, severe depression and loneliness. 

Teach us how we can reach out to those who are hurting or contemplating a violent end to themselves or others.

Teach us what true freedom looks like.

Help us to learn how to protect our children.

Help us to sacrifice what we need to in order for all children to be safe.

Help us to do the hard things.

For the school and parish community at Annunciation Catholic School, for all school communities that have faced tragedies from gun violence. 

Help our Church to be a voice for nonviolence and effective legislative reform.

Help our Church leaders to remind the faithful to put the Second Amendment into perspective;

That we are suffering the sin of making gods out of guns.

Help us to respond to violence with love.

Help us, Lord, to stay awake!  Amen