In the wake of what feels like an endless barrage of national and international tragedies, I have been thinking about what it means for a Christian, and for a congregation, to respond. While we may be tempted toward feelings of helplessness because the event, conflict, or tragedy is so far away, our primary calling as Christians remains local and direct.
What is within our reach and in our control is how we interact with and respond to humans and institutions in our personal spheres. (These, of course, are different for each of us.) We choose how we speak to or about other people. We choose where to spend our time and money. Often, we choose whether to interact with people in person or in less personal digital spaces.
We certainly ought to respond to these tragedies, expressing sympathy for victims and their families, considering what led to them, offering financial support as we are compelled and able, engaging civically by voting, speaking up, or demonstrating. Perhaps, even more important, as Christians committed to the way of Jesus – a way marked by mercy and grace, love and truth – we ought to look at the people and systems around us and question how we might better engage in the way of Jesus.
In what ways or places are people made to feel as though they are somehow less than others, as though we all bear the image of God, but some bear more or less of it? Who are the people who have been trampled by others – physical violence, emotional abuse, economic oppression, societal neglect? What does loving these people look like – our neighbors who are close enough to tragedy on a daily basis, that they need not tune into national or international news to hear about more?
Mother Teresa is known to have said, “Calcuttas are everywhere if only we have eyes to see. Find your Calcutta.” Perhaps, when we encounter tragedy that is great and far away, a significant part of our response, should be to pause, look around, and respond locally, trusting that responding to the tragedies in our own “Calcutta,” we will find Jesus.