Justice At The Table

Without a vision the people lose restraint, but happy the one who follow instruction. Proverbs 28:19 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

The footnotes state “Vision” and “instruction” mean authoritative guidance for the community. People are demoralized without credible leadership.

As of this Monday, there have been 252 shootings resulting in 98 deaths and 197 injuries.   Two years ago, in the United States 51,819 shootings took place with 12,590 were killed and 23,025 injured.  Last year, 53,301 shootings took place, 13,433 died and 27,016 were injured.

www.gunviolencearchive.org/last-72-hours

These are not merely numbers; they are parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers.  Thru out our country, people are being injured and dying as the result of gun violence.   What voices were heard last week, year and over 2,000 years ago?

John Lewis, Georgia 5th District
(c) 2016, John M. Kiingery

A notable voice was Rep. John Lewis, Georgia 5^th district he began the protest in the House of Representatives –

“We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence, tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence, tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, friends and neighbors . And what has this body done?  Mr. Speaker, nothing. Not one thing. We have turned a deaf ear. We have turned deaf ears to the blood of the innocent and the concern of our nation.” 

Full speech video –

Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin 1st District
(c) 2016, John M.Kingery

Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin 1^st district and speaker of the House, was one of many voices in opposition.  “This is nothing more than a publicity stunt.”  He shut off cameras and then called the House back into session at 2:45 am on Thursday morning.  Speaker Ryan dressed in opened the session, but did not remain, instead he left the chamber.  Then Steve Womack, Arkansas 3^rd district, serving as speaker pro tempore dressed in white eventually closed ended the session.  Night had become day; black had become white.

Steve Womack, Arkansas 3rd district
(c) 2016, John M. Kingery

Nine months earlier, another individual dressed in white was speaking from the rostrum of the House.  That individual was Pope Francis.  Speaking to the joint session of Congress, he asked a question and gave an honest answer about the selling of deadly weapons.  There is a global arms trade, but also a national arms trade.

Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.”  Pope Francis, Address to the Joint Session, September 23, 2015.

As believers and people of good will, we can no longer be indifferent. “Indifference and lack of commitment constitute a grave dereliction of the duty whereby each of us must work in accordance with our abilities and our role in society for the promotion of the common good, and in particular for peace, which is one of mankind’s most precious goods.”  Pope Francis, World Day of Peace 2016

Christ Hands Outstretched – St. Pius X
(c) John M. Kingery 2015 All Rights Reserved

When Jesus was being arrested in the garden, what did He say?  Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Matthew 26:52

Contact your elected officials, religious leaders to provide leadership.  Talk to family, friends and neighbor about heeding the call to put the swords (guns) away.  We need common sense responses, not fear and hate driven stockpiling of arms!

Peace,

John Kingery

Wear A Black Tie
(c) John M. Kingery
All Rights Reserved

They came to dance and have fun.

Life cut short from the barrel of a gun.

Why did they have to die?

Their mothers, fathers, family and friends cry.

God looks down, “What have you done?”

These and you are all my creation.

See the dove, we must replace our hate

With love before it is too late.

To honor those who die,

This Tuesday wear a black tie.

John M. Kingery

Where were you on Mother’s Day?  I was eating brunch at the Muslim Educational Trust.  There I met Karim from Yemen and Noel from Jerusalem.  The food was excellent and the conversation was life giving.   Karim had lost his mother.   My mother died on Mother’s Day in 2013.  Noel has some of the same health issues I do.   We shared our human frailty, need for prayer and belief in a merciful God.

You might say we celebrated being brothers and sisters in the Creator’s family.  In the cafeteria where I ate, there was a plaque about family on the wall.  The kind of plaque you would find at craft store.

Our Family

Laughs and Learns

Argues and Apologizes

Plays and Protects

Gives and Grows

Chaotic and Close

United and Unselfish

Loves and Lives

Happily Ever After

Isn’t that what we all want?  Isn’t that what God wants for us?  We should all be crafted into a family.

Peace,

John

Flags of honor and solidarity. (c) 2016 John M. Kingery – all rights reserved.

We all aware of the tragedies that have taken place over the past 6 months in Paris, San Bernardino and Brussels.   Lives have been lost and forever scarred.   We can respond with despair or resolve.

A few weeks ago after the events in Brussels, flags of state, county and city offices were taken to half mast.   I thought to myself, is there something more that could be done to honor and be in solidarity with the victims?   If government offices lower their flags, why don’t businesses and places of worship do the same?

On my lunch hour, I went to various hotels and banks in downtown Portland to see what they are doing.  Some of the establishments did have their flags at half-mast and some did not.   I am only on a single person with only so much time.

As the apostle Paul wrote – “If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.”

Sixteen years ago, over 230 religious leaders gathered in Assisi to pray for peace.  The result was a pledge for peace.  The first declaration is:

“We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion, and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war in the name of God or of religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything possible to eliminate the root causes of terrorism.”

http://www.justiceatthetable.com/social-justice-principles/solidarity/assisi-pledge-for-peace/

Consider sponsoring 3 Days in May for flags of honor and solidarity in your communities.  The lowering of flags to half mast would take place at houses of worship, businesses and neighborhoods.   Violence affects us all.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

Peace, justice, mercy and love to all,

John