Heartbreak in Texas

Tragedy struck fellow Christians in their house of worship this past Sunday. Twenty-six people were killed and twenty injured in an incomprehensible act committed by a wicked man, prompting, as one pastor has written, two thoughts: It could have been any of us, and it was us! In Christ we are all one. Deep grief appropriately accompanies this sad event as well as sober reflection and prayer.

We should not allow an act that terrorizes, however, to keep us from gathering and worshipping together. Fear is a powerful force and it frequently must be faced and overcome if we are to fully live out our lives. Church shootings apparently are rare, not random, and often stem from domestic disruption. A study by the Center for Homicide Research estimates that the likelihood that any congregation will be involved in a church shooting is approximately 1 in 126,000. The chance of actually being present in a church shooting is 1 in 6,552,000. By contrast the odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11,000,000, in an attack by a foreign terrorist 1 in 46,000 and in your own car 1 in 5,000. I imagine these statistics offer slight, if any, consolation to church goers.

Regrettably, we need reminders to be alert to potential threats to our parishioners, our children or our families. If you have any ideas or suggestions, concerns or questions about how we work to keep Good Shepherd a safe place for all, please pass them on to Vestry members or one of the Clergy.

Central for Christ’s people, however, is the understanding that all of our days are in God’s hands. There is a nice turn of phrase in a Eucharistic prayer that acknowledges that not only does God give us our daily bread, but he also gives us our daily breath. Only in this knowledge do we experience true peace and safety.

- Robert +