Our hearts are heavy in the wake of recent tragedies. What has been most painful is not only the loss itself, but also the rhetoric that has followed. Too often, compassion has been replaced with judgment, and love has been overshadowed by anger and division.
No matter our beliefs or backgrounds, we are all human. We all have families, loved ones and hearts that break when tragedy strikes. In moments like these, we must remember our shared humanity.
Let us pause and reflect: If it were your son, daughter, brother, husband or wife – would you not long for an outpouring of support, of prayers, of love? Compassion is not weakness. It is strength. It is what binds us together, even when we disagree.
We are all connected by love. And as people of faith know, Jesus does not love us because we are good – He loves us because He is good. May we strive to reflect that same goodness and grace to one another.
Let us choose love over hate, compassion over judgment and unity over division. In doing so, we honor not only the lives lost, but the best of what we can be as a community.
Vanessa Ruggles
Bayfield
