Dear Good Samaritans,

I have been watching the student protests at universities across the country with a mixture of emotions. I find hope and pride in seeing the younger generation getting fed up with injustice, oppression, and genocide and making their voices heard. I also feel trepidation for them. We have seen time and again in this country where police have met even peaceful protesters with violence and force. And, I find my heart sinking when I read about antisemitism between Pro-Palestinian groups and Jewish students because it doesn’t have to be that way. It shouldn’t be that way. Injustice for one is injustice for all. It is atrocious that innocent civilians are the ones suffering at the hands of violent governments.

So, when I came across this excellent article (which you should all read when you get a chance), What We Have to Learn from Students Leading the Charge for Justice by The Rev. Serene Jones, a prominent feminist theologian and President of Union Theological Seminary, it gave me peace and confidence that humans can actually come together and flourish despite our differences. Instead of meeting protest with yelling and dominance Jones believes that we should be caring for and supporting one another. She writes: “It requires putting love, not lawyers or policies, at the head of the line when push comes to shove. It means risking chaos but invoking justice.” She calls on all of us to be the kind of faith and public leaders that we want our future generations to become. May we have the strength and courage to do just that.

Peace,

Fr. Chris