“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light…”

I work at the Center for FaithJustice in Lawrenceville, NJ, and every Wednesday night we gather for a night of supper and prayer called “Soup and Psalms.” This past Wednesday, I offered a reflection on today’s Gospel reading from Matthew. I tried to dig in to where I’m at these days as a millennial minister, so hopefully it serves as a good intro.

Gospel: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Matthew 4:12-23

Nothing has occupied my mind and heart these past two weeks as much as the unspeakable massacre in Tucson, Arizona. We all know the details too well by now: six lives lost and dozens more changed forever, including that of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who continues to recover miraculously. Alongside the shock and grief and confusion of these past fifteen days have emerged stories of hope and beauty that inspire. We have, simultaneously, both tragedy and reasons to rejoice, both profound pain and deep joy. On one hand, there is the passing of Christina Green, the nine-year old girl who had just been elected to her student council and made her First Communion. That such a life was cut so terribly, violently short makes no sense at all. On the other, there is the heroism of Daniel Hernandez, the 20-year old intern who rushed to help Congresswoman Giffords after she was shot, risking his life while helping to save hers. The good that happened that Saturday morning does not erase the terrible, but neither does the terrible destroy the good. We have both.

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