There are many griefs we face in this time of physical separation. The griefs of lives lost to COVID-19 and lives lost to other causes we cannot fully recognize or honor. These griefs also include important events in our lives that are suspended or cancelled. Tonight I grieve two opportunities that always give me hope.
Sunday I was to be in Dallas at the annual Yom Hashoah commemoration at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. Of course this event was cancelled. We also were unable to have our annual interfaith Seder sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. Both of these events are wonderful and inspiriting annual community interfaith events. Both of course didn’t happen this year.
Tonight at Sundown began the annual observance of Yom Hashoah, the remembrance of the holocaust. As Lutheran Christians, we remember how the church in Europe too easily succumbed to accommodation to the fascist state and looked away at the persecution of our Jewish siblings. For this, annual repentance is appropriate and commitment to remembrance and action against such violence and hatred.
We as NT-NL Synod, ELCA were honored to be asked to give a gift of blessing and be included in the book of remembrance along with interfaith partners. Tonight we remember lives lost to racial hate and intolerance and hear again the call to be people who serve our neighbor first, caring for the most vulnerable in our communities. #NTNL #InMissionTogether