Boston

Bendell’s Cove & Vicinity (1635)

In 2001, my partner and I were living in Nipawin, SK, CAN. She had just been Settled into her first ministry and I was the Minister’s spouse. I had the blessing of exploring fiction writing, discerning where I might be Called and – generally – very much enjoyed that time of our lives as we moved into a new stage in our journey together: one which continues to offer so many gifts upon which to reflect and see the Holy’s presence in our lives.

I am assuming that most of you reading this have some frame of reference for the events of September 11^th 2001. Mine is anchored in just having returned to our 1930s sawdust insulated home from a 10k run with our two Border Collies. As I walked in, I saw the unfolding morning TV coverage and – literally – became transfixed by the news, the reporting and quickly became numb for the day’s remainder: dazed by the horror, shocked at the inherent anger that would have led to such soul-destroying and life-devouring choices and prayerful. I remember my mantra – on that day – was grounded in a hope for a decision that would not mirror the violence, one that might explore a different way, a path that might lead to understanding that balanced the need for justice and forgiveness for all of us: a human and frail family that too often sees – or wishes it could be – things as binary.

And – once more dazed and numb – this last Monday (April 15/13), as events unfolded in Boston, I was startled back into that remembering. As of this musing, there remains a lack of clarity as to who is responsible and that the motivations for such violence remain to be rationalised and part of me simply weeps for the harm done and the lives devastated, maimed and lost. Martin Richard – the 8 year old boy whom the media has focused upon – who a year ago apparently said, “No more hurting people,” now haunts me as I try to process this latest example of humans hurting one another.

In this place of haunting, I have no answers, no simple solutions and a long time ago I learned that retribution simply creates a circularity of self-fulfilling prophecy. I know what my faith offers, what the ministry of Jesus challenges me to live into and I cling to the ideas of Resurrection, forgiveness and a Third Way in times in which our collective actions confound my ability to comprehend the hurt we perpetuate against one another.

Mostly – though …