Dear friends in Christ,

 

As most of you know I am home recovering from surgery to repair my left rotator cuff. Although the tear was bigger than my surgeon expected, I have been blessed with minimal pain, which I am certain is the result of God’s answer to your prayers for my recovery.  Thank you for your continuing prayers for my healing.

 

I write today following another horrific week of violence — shootings of young black men in Baton Rouge and St. Paul, Minnesota followed by last night’s murder of five police officers who were guarding a nonviolent protest in Dallas. The present state of affairs reminds me of the summers of my childhood, which were marked by riots in many of our nation’s cities, including my hometown of Detroit.  As I write you, the refrain of the folk tune, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” runs through the playlist of my mind and my heart cries out, ‘O when will they ever learn, O when will they ever learn’.

 

O when will we ever learn? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing while expecting different results. We are the perpetrators and victims of this insanity unless we are willing to come together to make the necessary changes, personally and corporately, that will allow God’s justice to shine through.  As we gather for worship this Sunday we will hear the story of the Good Samaritan. It reminds us about who our neighbor is . . .  and what our duty is towards them.

 

As we reflect on this story, my prayer is that we will put our learnings into action.

 

Yours in Christ,

 

The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller

Bishop of Milwaukee