On my way to the Philippines...

As I prepare to leave the country to see and be a listening partner with our sister church in the Philippines who is experiencing extra-judicial killings of their church leaders, I am very aware today of the shootings that have occurred at Northern Illinois University. It's moments like these where I am literally stumped...wondering what in the world is happening, and desiring to be a partner for change. I am particularly thankful that a friend, Gina, a student there, is okay. As we continue to pray for the situation there, she asked if I might be in prayer for her as she has also been asked to be available as a counselor for other students. If you all could remember her too, that would be great.

I'm writing because I leave this weekend for the Philippines and will be there for about 10 days. Yep, the time has already come! I can't believe it. I will be flying to Chicago tomorrow and leaving for the Philippines on Sunday. I'd ask that you please hold all of the members of our delegation in prayer: Ann, Jared, Larry, Matt, Richard, Roger, Shelley, Stuart and myself. I would also ask special prayers for my friend Joel who was also supposed to be part of this delegation. His grandmother died yesterday and he and his family are making funeral arrangements now. Although I'm not sure about his official status regarding the trip, I'm pretty sure he will be with his family.

Anyway, I wanted to write and ask for prayers and let you all know that I'm on my way! I promise to fill you in on details and reflections upon my return!

***

I was also asked to write a prayer for the peacemaking website in light of yesterday's events. Wanted to share it. Peace be with you all!

A Prayer for Northern Illinois University

God of mystery and God of love,

In light of what we have heard, seen, and experienced in the shootings at Northern Illinois University yesterday, we can’t help but feel shocked, confused, deeply sad, and perhaps hopeless. This event is only a painful reminder of the losses at other campus shootings across the nation in our too recent past, and we wonder what in the world is going on. What is happening when we are dying in classrooms?

And yet God, with these questions and with a powerful sense that ultimately everything is out of our control, we come to you, daring to ask the difficult questions and allowing your Spirit to embrace us. We pray for a love that can drive out the darkness around us, so that in this time of another tragedy, we can hold one another up yet again. Instill in us a continued hope so that we may have continued strength and courage as your Church to be partners and witnesses of something different . . . of something life-giving.

We lift up the students, the families, the friends, and all those affected this day. We pray that you would blanket them with your peace and continue to be with them as the anger, sadness and healing process begins. We don’t understand, God. But we love you and trust your presence and mercy in this time.

We pray all this in the name of the one whose peace passes all understanding,
Amen.

Irene Pak
Office of Racial Justice and Advocacy, Intern
General Assembly Council

Sharing some love

Happy Valentine's Day good people!
I thought on this day that I'd share one of my favorite Shakespeare love poems... if you ever want to win me over, read this poem to me. Not in a creepy way. :)

Sonnet 116

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments.
Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

Ash Wednesday

"You are dust and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19b)

As I sit here with ashes marked as a cross on my forehead (which has faded b/c I keep forgetting its there and touching it), I can't help but wonder how symbolic that is in and of itself. Lent as a season of reflection and remembering who we are and who God is sounds like a great thing to do. But just as the ashes are physically marked on me and fade throughout the day, I can't help but wonder how much of my own life with God is like that...only to be remembered in times of crisis or high holy days. Ugh, I don't even know if this is making any sense.

I guess that's why folks take things on or give things up... to continually remind themselves in this season what it is we are doing. It's just way too easy for me though to give up something fairly simple and continue to forget about why I'm doing it. Obviously, I still have some reflecting to do in terms of what will keep me in continued communion with God in this season.

"You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart" (Psalm 51:6).

As I reflect and pray about what that truth will look like for me in this season, I pray that you will also take this time as an opportunity to remember. I'd love to hear what you are doing as your Lenten practice!