Grieving for Orlando

From General Secretary Tom De Vries

I cry out to you from the depths, Lord—
my Lord, listen to my voice!
Let your ears pay close attention to my request for mercy! (Psalm 130:1-2, CEB)

On Sunday morning, while delegates and staff were gathered for General Synod, we learned that 49 people had been killed in Orlando and more than 50 others were wounded. More than 100 people, so loved by God. More than 100 people, created in God’s image.

Evan Vermeer, as General Synod president, led us in a time of prayer. Together we prayed for the victims, their families, and the Orlando community. Together we asked for healing, peace, and reconciliation. Together we grieved for the people who were killed or wounded.

This shooting was an act of hatred, an act of violence. We are deeply grieved by the forces that caused a man to commit a hate crime against the LGBT community. As Psalm 130 says, we cry out to God from the depths. We plead with God to have mercy.

Part of our call in Transformed & Transforming is to promote justice, compassion, and reconciliation. As we continue to hold the tragedy of this shooting in our hearts, we want to—need to—live and love like Jesus by helping shape the world so that justice, compassion, and reconciliation are realized. We will advocate for justice, we will seek compassion, and we will work for reconciliation. We will do these things in the hope that the world will be transformed by Christ’s love. So that hate will no longer claim lives.

The end of Psalm 130 says, “My whole being hopes, and I wait for God’s promise. My whole being waits for my Lord” (CEB).

Even with heavy hearts, may we be people who wait in hope. Let us wait actively, praying for the families and friends of those who were killed and recovery for those who were injured, and working for justice, compassion, and reconciliation.