Time to Participate
We have two very timely events
coming up this weekend. On Saturday at 8
am there will be a “Walk Against Domestic Violence” starting and ending at the
Wetherill Historic Site at 269 Georges Road in Dayton. I plan on attending and if anyone would like
to meet me at the church at 7:30 am to car pool over, please let me know.
Domestic Violence is pervasive,
yet until it becomes headline news when NFL players and other celebrities are
charged with the crime, it can go unnoticed or unaddressed. As Christians we have the responsibility of “loving
our neighbor as ourselves.” As Episcopalians, we also adhere to the Baptismal
Covenant, which flows from that great Commandment to state “we will seek and
serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.” We have the
obligation and duty to stand up for those too intimidated or cowered by their
circumstance to confront their abusers.
No one, unless they are standing in a boxing ring, should be physically
assaulted in any way, especially not by someone with whom she or he is in a
romantic relationship.
Unfortunately we live in a
culture that idolizes brute force and dominance over nurturing and support. In some ways, the expectation we have of
football players on the field and what they do off the field are diametrically
opposed. While I won’t argue whether or
not that is right, it does not in any way justify cruel behavior toward another
person, especially toward one who is (usually) smaller and weaker.
By offering our physical support
to such a cause, we are drawing the public’s attention to such realities and
making a safer space for those who are victims to speak out against their
abusers, to seek sanctuary and support and hopefully end the cycle of
violence. We are also sending the
message to organizations like the NFL that their tolerance of such behavior is
simple wrong. Setting proper expectations
of behavior toward other people starts when children play any organized sport,
both on and off the field. Aggression needs to be tempered with sportsmanship.
And yet we also aware of the
terrible situation happening in Sayreville, with 7 football players arrested
for participating in hazing rituals that may have included sexual molestation.
I was shocked to hear about this, especially it being so close to home. I naively thought with all the work that has
been done to address bullying in the school system that it was actually
working. Even though Sayreville has a
17-page anti-bullying policy, it did not make their players stop to question
their actions, nor did the adults create a culture where such behavior would
have been anathema.
We are also aware of the Ebola
virus and the uncertainty of what might happen next. All of these circumstances make it very apropos
that we are having a Healing Service during our Sunday Services on October 19th.
St. Luke’s the Physician’s feast day is October 18th, so it is an opportune
time to remember that one of the main components of Jesus’ ministry is
full-body wellness – physically, spiritually, mentally, relationally. You will have the opportunity to have hands
laid on you to pray for yourself, a loved one or even society as we confront
the reality that we need God’s redeeming love just as much now as ever. We need to be reminded both that we are worthy
of God’s love and our duty to “respect the dignity of EVERY human being” (also from
the Baptismal Covenant).
I hope you will join us for both
of these events as we show boldly our faith in Christ to the world while
seeking to deeper our relationship with God and our neighbor.
In Christ,
Rev. Valerie+
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