Tired of Tragedy and Politics

I originally posted this article to Ricochet.com, but as it's not posted on their Main Feed it's not publicly visible. I believe this is worth sharing to all, however.

I suppose I’m tired of it all now. I blame my personal troubles for the weekend, but Sunday has been something of a breaking point. While we were dealing with an ongoing personal struggle at home, a man committed the worst mass shooting on American soil in a gay club. Fifty people are dead – including the shooter – gone on to meet their Maker. 53 more are injured. And I’m find I’m just weary. I’ve been emptied out and there’s nothing left to give.

I read the news Sunday morning. Not a single report or comment I noted in the various news sources I had time to see talked about this without a huge swath of political color. Progressives were quick to point to gun violence and anti-LGBT attitudes. Conservatives were quick to point out, “Nuh-uh!” and the shooters Islamic faith and Democrat registration. Progressives respond back with, “How dare you defend yourselves!” Religious sources expressed sorrow, condolences, and prayer, only to be rebuked with a, “How dare you!” It doesn’t help that some on the religious side claim this was deserved.

Politics has long inculcated itself into every aspect of our lives. We no longer can relate. We don’t even have time to mourn the passing of fifty souls – and yes I’m including the shooter. Vile as his acts are, he has no chance for repentance. His forty-nine victims we mourn even more so, lives cut short. My detective friend shared a picture that sums up the horror of it all perfectly for me:

My wife and child will get some extra hugs today. It is a terrible thing to take a life, and a terrible thing to find a life has been taken from you. These next few days, of all things we should be coming together to comfort one another, to rise above our petty squabbles. Instead, we have petty bickering.

After the terrorist attack on 9/11, I remember that for a brief time we did come together. Perhaps it was ephemeral, but we at least attempt to appear we could come together. There seems no attempt now. There is no compromise, no forgiveness, only bitterness, anger, and defensiveness.

Yes, I am praying now. I pray for all those souls, may they have met their Maker prepared and find comfort in the Hereafter. I pray for those injured. May Christ who healed the sick and comforted those in pain bring them healing and comfort. I pray for those who mourn. May the Holy Spirit bring comfort.

We live in a broken world. We try to perfect it, but we do so ignoring our human nature with disastrous consequences. Politics attempts to right the world under human means – frequently by coercion as politics is inherently coercive. I pray that we look to Jesus, God the Son of the Trinity, who came to our world, broken as it is, and opened the door for us to see God through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and his defeat of death in His resurrection.

I pray it is not too late for us to be reconciled with each other.