To the Journal editor:

“How long, O Lord How Long?” a response from an advent litany my previous parish had used during the lighting of the advent candle has been resonating through my mind this past week.

Based on Psalm 13, we have this text that is expressive in this short question: “How long, O Lord?”

Scrolling through Facebook, TikTok, Google and other media sources, many are asking how much longer do we have to endure this violence? How many more schools? How many more students? How many more families broken? “How long, O Lord?”

As a Christian minister in the Presbyterian tradition, we have a portion of our service where we begin to pray for the church and for the world. More than often, we pray for justice and peace in the world.

Yet, it does not seem to be enough. That is because the task is to not just ask for it but to act on it, to go out and make peace, to go out and be a living example of love on Earth.

How do we change things? I’m just one person. One voice can become thousands. Move forward and do what you can do to be that change out there.

Something needs to change in our state and nation. Peoples lives should never be a bipartisan political divide. Look at England. March 13, 1996 was the Dunblane Massacre at the Dunblane Primary School in Dunblane. Almost immediately the community and government acted.

Where is our action after Columbine? Where was our government after Sandy Hook? Where were they after Central Michigan University in 2018? Oxford High School in 2021 and now Michigan State University.

When will thoughts and prayers become action and compliance? This should not be labeled normal for anyone. Again, “How long, O Lord How long?”