Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to attend a breakfast for the YWCA to promote awareness around the issue of domestic violence in Oklahoma. I learned several startling facts at this breakfast. For example, did you know that Oklahoma ranks 6th in the nation in women killed by men? Did you know that 1 in 4 women are victims of domestic violence? Did you know that about 1/3 of all women killed each year are murdered by their husbands?
These facts, among others shared with us, started to make me angry. What can be done about these horrifying statistics? What can I do to bring an end to this? The keynote speaker for the breakfast shared his powerful story and personal experience with domestic violence in his own life and reminded us all, “You can make an impact. You just have to care.” It was a simple and powerful reminder that an impact can be made in the world if we simply take the time and energy to care.
The breakfast ended with the following Franciscan benediction, and I would invite us all to share this and pray this throughout the day:
May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that we may live from deep within our hearts.
May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of God’s creations so that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless us with just enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in the world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done: to bring justice and kindness to all our children and all our neighbors who are poor.
Amen.
