Just Let Us Live!
One sign said, “Thoughts and prayers are not enough.” Another sign said, “Am I next?” Another sign said, “We just want to live through high school.” These are signs carried by young protestors in Nashville, Tennessee following yet another mass school shooting at a Christian school that took the lives of three nine year olds, Hallie, William and Evelyn and three adults, Catherine, Mike and Cynthia. The protestors – thousands of them – descended upon and inside the state capital following the massacre at Covenant School – by the way 152 rounds of ammunition fired in 14 minutes – and the vast majority of the protestors were young people – kids and teen-agers and college students demanding action.
Another sign, “Protect kids, not guns.” Another sign held high by a teen-ager said this, “I turn 18 today. Hallie, William and Evelyn never will.” Another sign, “Our lives are more important than your guns.” Another sign, “Why is it easier to buy an AR-15 than Taylor Swift concert tickets?” And finally a very long sign that said this, “It’s not drag queens, it’s not books, it’s not black history, it’s not trans-rights. GUNS are killing kids.”
All of those signs were held by kids, by teen-agers, by college students. Hear now for a moment what a Nashville parent said at a rally sponsored by the local chapter of the national organization, “Moms Demand Action.” Her name is Becca Dryden and she said this to the crowd with tears streaming down her cheeks, “This is a really scary time to be a parent and I just want my kids to live a full life. I want them to live. I want to pick them up from school every day – alive.” And a retired teacher named Lynda McFayden-Ketchum said this, “I don’t have any more tears, y’all. We’ve been crying since Sandy Hook. We’re cried out. We don’t need a day to mourn. We need a day of action.”
Speaking of action…speaking of action. “After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other May went to see the tomb.” And speaking of action. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.’” And speaking of action, the angel said, “Come, see where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’”
Now, I ask you…what was the earthquake? What was the earthquake? Was it those terrifying 14 minutes inside the halls and classrooms at Covenant School during which 152 bullets tore through the bodies of 3 children and 3 adults forever shaking the very foundation of that community, shaking the very foundation of those families?? Was that the earthquake? Or was the earthquake the thousands upon thousands of kids and young people – shaken to their very core – that marched through the streets of Nashville and into the halls of the capital building – demanding some sort of action be taken so that they might live to their 18th birthday? Was the earthquake their unified footsteps sounding like thunder shaking the very foundation of that capital building?
In the aftermath of these earthquakes – whether it be the earthquake of yet another mass shooting or the earthquake of thousands of young people taking to the streets in outrage where is the angel who speaks words of hope? Where is the angel who rolls away the stone, and says to the frightened? “Do not be afraid. Jesus is not here; for he has been raised from the dead?”
“Come, see for yourself. He’s not here, but now go quickly and tell people there is hope. Tell people he has been raised from the dead.” Cynthia Peaks, aged 61 and a substitute teacher was one of those killed at Covenant School. Her family issued a statement saying their “hearts are broken,” and called Cynthia a pillar of the community, and a teacher beloved by all her students.” And then this – listen – “She never wavered in her faith and we know she is wrapped in the arms of Jesus.” Did you hear that? Those are the words of the angel! Even in tragedy, even in grief, even in death, there is comfort, there is hope, there is faith.
Cynthia’s family knows Jesus has his arms wrapped around their beloved Cynthia and they’ve got the arms of Jesus wrapped around each of them in the people caring for them and comforting them.
You know what that’s like. Who here has not been touched by grief, by trauma, by some sort of tragedy and who here knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of such comfort. That’s where Jesus shows up! That’s where the resurrected, living Lord is – ahead of you to comfort you, to care for you, to love you just as you are no matter what you are going through. Jesus shows up in the awesome power we have to wrap our arms around those in shock and grieve and despair.
For those thousands of young people marching in Nashville, where is that angel who sat by the empty tombs with words of hope and comfort? For children and young people all over this country who live in fear of going to school where is the angel who sat by the empty tomb with words of hope and comfort. Perhaps we’ve already heard the voice of the angel – or at least seen the word of angels in those signs they are holding up as they march. Remember those signs the kids were holding up – like, “Our lives are more important than guns.” And “Protect kids. Not guns.” And, “Am I next?” And “No more silence. No more gun violence.” And “Thoughts and prayers are not enough.”
They are the angels! It’s the kids! Young people finding their voices – in Nashville and all over the country– the voice of angels with words of hope, with words of conviction, with words demanding action. That’s where Jesus is showing up. That’s in whom the resurrected and living Lord is showing up – in the kids pleading with the grown-ups to just let them live!
A thoughtful writer, teacher and commentator named Eddie Glaube who teaches religion and African American studies at Princeton says that the epidemic of gun violence points to the fact that we are broken. We are a broken nation – a fractured community. And we are broken, he suggests because of three factors that are tearing us apart. #1 Greed – unbridled greed – the notion that profit comes before any notion of what’s good for the general public. #2 – selfishness – don’t let anyone take away my rights. My rights are mine and they have nothing to do with you. And #3 indifference. “It’s not my baby that was killed by an AR-15. I’m over here and safe. That child’s murder has nothing to do with me.”
What do our values – as followers of Jesus – as people looking for the light of Jesus in every human being – what do our values have to say about those three evils that create an epidemic of gun violence: greed, selfishness and indifference? Or better yet – not what do we have to say, but what will we do – what’s our action plan? How will we put our values into action? How will we do what Jesus will have us do? After all he is one step ahead of us. The plan is already rolling.
“They left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” Yes, fear. It’s scary isn’t to think that we disciples have been given the task, the job, the mission to eradicate, to wipe out the evils of greed, selfishness and indifference? Pretty daunting task! Pretty intimidating mission. Think we can do it? Think we can make a dent in doing away with greed, selfishness and indifference?
Of course we can because Jesus is one step ahead of us, as he always is. Jesus has already gone ahead of us – just like it says in scripture, “he has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you…” He’s going on ahead of you. Jesus is the young people holding up the signs. Jesus is the kids teaching us. Jesus is the young people demanding of us action. “Thoughts and prayers are not enough.” “Protect kids, not guns.” “Our lives are more important than your guns.” “I turn 18 today. Hallie, William and Evelyn never will.” “Am I next?” Amen.