Our unending prayer

As I write, police are on the scene at yet another school shooting. This one occurred in the geographical confines of the Diocese of Kentucky, where I am canonically resident. I have a friend who graduated from Marshall County High School.  Because of these things, in spite of living in a world that has made me numb to such tragedy, this one feels different.

It won’t take but but few hours before the lives turned upside-down by this act of violence will be traded for political capital. The sides will line up as they always do, wagging their fingers at the other. Religious leaders will follow suit.  People will offer thoughts and prayers. Others will respond by lambasting their thoughts and prayers as hollow. I fear that we are on the verge of an era in which things are so politicized that as Christians, we forget what a powerful force prayer is.

I received word of the Marshall County High School shooting while reading the Book of Common Prayer collect for this Sunday: