BVM Leadership Team: ‘We pray for a conversion of all our hearts’

We pray for all principals in the concluded Chauvin trial: family and friends of George Floyd, and those of Derek Chauvin; the prosecutors and the defense attorneys; the witnesses and the jury.

We pray for a conversion of all our hearts so that we will stop thinking of murder trials as contests with winners and losers. We pray for a conversion of all our hearts so that we can really see each other as sister and brother rather than as “me” and “other.”

Punishing injustice is a poor substitute for true justice. True justice would have George Floyd whole and breathing; true justice would have former officer Chauvin living up to the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor:

On my honor, I will never betray my integrity, my character or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always maintain the highest ethical standards and uphold the values of my community, and the agency I serve. (International Association of Chiefs of police)

We pray that we, the people of the United States, can find ways to set aside our fears, our inculcated belief that some individuals are better and more deserving than others, and our reflexive rush to use violence to right perceived or anticipated wrongs.

We pray that all of us can grow to see each and every one of us as the beloved of our gracious creator God. Let us work to purge our society of killing and violence. Let us together seek true justice.