Given by Rev. Madison Shockley June 7, 2020
This week has been exhausting. Around the world, people have been protesting. Two of our youth organized the three Carlsbad protests this weekend. We are so proud. Being black in America is stressful. As our passage tells us breath is life. God breathed into a lump of clay and it became human. Our breath is sacred. This is why murder is a sin. We have seen the video of a black man and a white police officer. We watched as he cried out “I can’t breathe!” Why does this keep happening in America? The police officer knelt for over 8 minutes on George Floyd’s neck in front of witnesses and cameras. Did he think there would be no consequences? Our criminal justice system is broken. Our social justice system is alive and well! We take a lesson from the rest of the passage. Cain thought he got away with murder. Abel’s blood cried out for justice. God is the witness and wants to know what have YOU done. We are our brother and sister’s keeper. What are you doing now and what will you do in the future? We have a responsibility to bring an end to this brutality now. Let our voices unite and be heard! Breathe in hope and exhale faith.
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