“I don’t know how to preach the day after bombs fall.
I don’t know how to preach when children die
and when neighbors are pulled from cars
and when trans citizens wake up to find their identities legally erased.
But I do know this:
If you are not angry about those things, something holy in you has gone numb.”
I found these words on the Facebook page of the United Church of Christ in Northfield, Minnesota. Their post goes on to differentiate between rage and righteous anger: “Rage destroys for the sake of destruction. Righteous anger disrupts in order to restore.” They point to the well-known example of Jesus throwing over the tables of the money-changers in the temple. This is legitimate anger leading to an appropriate action. But Jesus doesn’t stay there smashing tables—he moves on after making his point and doing what he needs to do. Similarly, we must allow our anger to spur us into action, but we shouldn’t wallow in that anger.
Last Sunday I talked about paying attention to the news, and I gave two of the examples mentioned above: the unauthorized war in Iran, and the anti-transgender legislation in Kansas. When I pay attention to these things, my feelings are anger, fear, and sadness. The anger, as discussed above—as well as the fear—should prompt me to action. (In this case, my action is making an ongoing donation to Pink Haven Coalition, an organization helping transgender people access safety and necessary services across state lines.) And the sadness I feel points me toward compassion and connection. Transgender people are my family. The Iranian people are my cousins. I’m angry that they are being targeted, and I’m sad that they are being harmed. This feeling of sadness is a gateway to keeping my heart alive and not becoming numb. The sadness reminds me that I care about people and want them to be well. And while these feelings are unpleasant, I would rather feel them than not to. May we all remain appropriately engaged: remembering our love for our fellow humans, and acting with righteous anger when we need to.
PRAYER:
Allah…Jesus…God of many names and no name…
The world weeps today as fighter planes drop loads of bombs on Iran; as missiles retaliate; as trees, buildings, soldiers, and bystanders are demolished.
May the leaders of nations and armies discover sanity and mercy—may they remember that they love their children, and that every casualty of war is some mother’s child, someone’s brother.
May the people of the world unite to demand an end to war—to demand schools and art museums over bunkers and fortresses.
May it be so.
Rev. Drew Frantz
March 3, 2026
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