Will you sit with me for a moment?
When I have opened my news feed the past number of days and I read about all the abuse cases in the Catholic Church against innocent children, it rips my heart wide open.
My heart breaks for these children/adults who had their innocence stripped away from them.
My heart breaks for this burden they have had to carry on their shoulders and in their hearts throughout their lives.
My heart breaks that their voices weren’t heard until now.
I am angry towards the people who misrepresent the Christian faith and behave as though they have power over others.
I am angry towards the people who choose not to live out their faith towards others and instead abuse their role for personal gain.
I am angry towards the people who choose to hide the truth and towards those who help keep the truth covered up.
There are no excuses for these tragedies.
The Christian faith is not based in pride, selfishness, and power but in humility, selflessness, and compassionate love.
Love is supposed to protect others, especially our innocent children. Justice is to be served towards the guilty to help them recognize their wrong doing with the hope they will change from their strayed ways. Silence and inaction won’t change things.
I am saddened for these children/adults whose lives have been forever changed. They forever may be (and understandably so) tainted towards a faith whose foundation is based on loving others, not abusing others.
I am saddened that these awful actions are a cause for so many people walking away from the Christian faith - or never even wanting to know about God because they believe God is like these people who misrepresent their faith and live opposite of what they say their beliefs are.
I could go on and on about my anger and sadness in my heart but I know that is not productive.
I invite you to join me today to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we do what we can from where we are to stand up for what is right, even if it’s the harder choice.
May we come beside those who are hurt, whether we are near or far, and help them rise above their struggles.
May there be full restoration in mind, body and Spirit for those who have been harmed.
May their voices be heard and their stories move us into action to protect and serve others.
May the people who are responsible be held accountable for their choices.
May the people who are protecting those who harmed others, let go of protecting the institution and protect the people who were harmed.
May justice be served.
May you consider the people who harmed others are not a valid representation of the God I know, love and trust. And if you have left any denomination of Christianity because of a person, I wholeheartedly understand. I left my church last year due to circumstances where the pastor of the church did not live out the faith towards our family (it was not sexually related). So I get how a pastor can taint the church experience.
Today I offer to you that if a person has made you question God or made you lose your faith, please consider getting to know God beyond that person or building, or find people and a building who show you that there is a genuine God at the foundation of Christianity who would be sitting beside these children/adults and acting justly towards those who harmed them.
With love and hope,
Shawn