#PrayforParis

What a world we live in. 

The news from Paris today, of a concert being attacked, attendees being held hostage, and the death count slowly rising (127, as of now)- it's a grief that's almost too much to bear. The weight of our wrecked world rests on us today, with a bit more vengeance. 

I am weary. I have only been on this earth for 22 years, and yet I have still lived through some dark, dark times in our history. 

I was 8 the first time I really learned what evil existed in our midst. September 11, 2001. I remember getting out of school early that day, momentarily excited before learning what had happened. 

The ensuing Iraq war- the U.S. invaded when I was 10. By the time I saw that conflict end, almost 4,500 American soldiers had died. 

There have been scores of school shootings on American soil- Columbine (1999), Virginia Tech (2007), Sandy Hook (2012) and countless others. 

I have seen shootings at movie theaters, army bases, shopping malls featured on my nightly news. 

I was alive when the subways in Spain (2004) and the U.K. (2005) were bombed. When I went to D.C. almost 10 years later, I hesitated before climbing onto the metro everyday. 

I've been alive during times of genocide: Rwanda (1994), Bosnia (1995), and Darfur (2003).

And now, violence over race in the U.S. seems to be coming to a head- young black man after young black man being shot by police, riots, police brutality, arson, and college protests all rage on. 

Recently, terrorist attacks have been splashed across my newsfeed, graphic videos and photos of bombings, beheadings, suicide bombings. 

Our world. 

Look how far we've fallen. 

And amidst it all, what do we do?

We respond with a hashtag. #prayforpeace #prayforparis 

We change our profile pic to reflect the French flag. 

We share articles and video clips and picture montages of lighted candles and clasped hands. We say, "our thoughts and prayers are with the victims at this terrible time". 

Is anyone else sick of it?

Friends are sharing pictures, articles, all with the obligatory #PrayforParis tag line. I've seen so many prayers, written in fancy script over calming photos. So many statuses: our prayers are with Paris, pray for peace, praying for an end to this madness, prayer, prayer, prayer.

Is anyone else kind of mad at it?

Borrowing a few words from President Barack Obama (speaking in the wake of yet another school shooting): "Our thoughts and prayers are not enough". 

It's not enough. 

What good are we really doing by sharing that photo, writing that status, saying "our thoughts and prayers are with you"? 

I'm not saying that prayer doesn't accomplish anything. I'm not shaming anyone for engaging with this tragedy on social media (I've done it too). 

But I am saying that I'm sick of the litany of 'our world is broken, pray for peace'. 

How long have we been praying for peace?! 

At what point are we going to admit to ourselves that our world won't be fixed by prayer alone? 

So, maybe instead of saying #prayforparis, we should be saying 'here's how I can help'- and then pray.

 

"Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." Saint Augustine 

I recommend reading this article about "hashtag clicktivism", where the above image was taken from:  http://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/hashtag-clicktivism-the-ups-and-downs-of-collectiv/509a7f26-7cc6-4394-8e07-24012aed2188.htm