"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Psalm 23:4

Once again we are reminded of just how fragile our lives are when a premier event in our American narrative becomes the backdrop to the reality of evil in our midst. While our hearts and prayers are lifted up for those who died, were injured or traumatized from being in Boston yesterday, we stand with our resurrected Lord and proclaim the Good News, especially in the chaos.

Our Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Shori offered this prayer from a peace conference she is attending in Japan:
Gracious God, you walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death. We pray that the suffering and terrorized be surrounded by the incarnate presence of the crucified and risen one. May every human being be reminded of the precious gift of life you entered to share with us. May our hearts be pierced with compassion for those who suffer, and for those who have inflicted this violence, for your love is the only healing balm we know. May the dead be received into your enfolding arms, and may your friends show the grieving they are not alone as they walk this vale of tears. All this we pray in the name of the one who walked the road to Calvary. Amen.

This coming Sunday - the fourth Sunday of Easter - is sometimes referred to as "Good Shepherd Sunday" because in the Gospel, Jesus uses the metaphor of sheep and shepherd. We also say Psalm 23, which (for good or ill) seems to be associated most closely with the funeral service. But as the Presiding Bishop invokes in her prayer, we see that we always walk in the shadow of death. While that sounds awful and even fear-enducing, we MUST remember that we walk with our risen Lord, the one who conquered death so that we do not need to fear death anymore.

Psalm 23 is really about life and living it in abundance. That is what those participating in the Boston Marathon and those rooting for them were doing. Yes, it is a tragedy that someone or a group allowed evil to manifest in their actions, but it is worse to allow that fear to stop us from living as God wants us to live. "You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over." (Psalm 23:5) My prayer for us and for those directed involved and affected is that we can recognize our overflowing cups, raise them up and shout, "Alleluia, Amen!" God will never allow evil to have the final word, on that you can rely.

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