My heart is heavy with the news of the mosque massacre in New Zealand earlier today. How do you even wrap your head around something like this? A man walks into a mosque for Friday prayers, holding his son’s hand. He stumbles out later carrying his son’s now lifeless body.
Certainly many more people, Muslim, Christian and others will die alone and unknown today. But the situation in Christchurch is closer to our world. I don’t know about you, but it feels like it could have been where I live, maybe where you live.
As people who follow Jesus and are learning to love Muslims as he does, how do we respond to this? For starters, we weep with those who weep. Paul’s challenge in Roman’s 12 helps us put love into action.
We can also pray. . . for comfort, healing and hope. For those clinging to life in the hospital and for families wondering how life can go on after this.
If you’re reading this in time, consider reaching out to a Muslim friend and asking if it would be appropriate to go to Friday prayers with them. Or maybe even to stand in support outside the mosque. If not this week, perhaps next.
Consider sending a note of support and empathy to a Muslim friend. This is a collective tragedy. I wouldn’t for an instant presume to understand, but I hope we’ll err on the side of trying to care.
If you don’t have a Muslim friend to send a note to, consider a general word of sympathy on your Facebook page. You can read what I wrote here.
“Let your kingdom come, let your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” — Jesus.