When the World Breaks Our Hearts
Even in our deepest grief, God weeps with us, holds us close, and promises that this is not the end.
Yesterday, we found ourselves asking the question that breaks the heart open, “Why would God allow terrible suffering in the world?” We asked it as we thought of those little girls, lost in the floodwaters at Camp Mystic, and of the families now standing in a darkness they never asked to enter.
My dear friends, it is alright to ask this question. It is alright to weep, to rage, to feel lost. God is not offended by your sorrow or your anger. Faith does not mean we must smile through everything that hurts. Faith is what holds us steady when we can do nothing but cry.
We will not find a tidy answer to this question on this side of eternity. The human mind cannot fully grasp why suffering touches the innocent, why prayers sometimes feel unanswered, why the world can be so cruel. But I can tell you this much: God does not watch from afar. God is not cold to your tears.
Christ wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Christ cried out from the Cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God Himself entered into our suffering so that we would never have to carry it alone.
When we see tragedy, it is a reminder that this world is not what God ultimately desires for us. We are meant for a world without death, without floods that steal children from their parents’ arms, without pain. We are meant for a world of life and resurrection, where every tear will be wiped away.
If you are grieving today, if you are angry, if you feel like your faith is hanging on by a thread, know that you are not alone. God is in that place with you, quietly, tenderly, holding you in the dark.
There will come a day when we will see what all this meant, when the veil will lift, and we will understand. Until then, we hold each other close, we pray for those who mourn, and we keep lighting candles in the darkness, one by one, as a small act of hope that
even now, God is with us.
Watch Father Rich’s Video Reflection Now:
Social Justice Roundup
The Good ✨
Once the Church of Presidents, the Episcopal Church must now be an engine of resistance
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe has issued a stirring call for transformation: historically, the Episcopal Church has been close to power, but now its mission must shift from alignment with authority to active resistance. In a July 3 opinion piece for Religion News Service, Rowe urges the church to reclaim moral leadership by standing firmly against policies that threaten worship, justice, and marginalized communities. This marks a purposeful repositioning of identity—patriotism rooted in Gospel values, not political loyalty.
The Bad 😔
What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed over 100 people
A devastating flash flood swept through the Texas Hill Country over the July 4 weekend, killing more than 100 people—many of them children including campers and counselors from Camp Mystic. Massive emergency efforts have been launched in response, but survivors and officials are speaking out about warning systems that failed to alert communities in time
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The Ugly 😡
Trump Administration Adds 60 Facilities for Detained Migrants
The Department of Homeland Security has authorized the expansion of the immigrant‑detention system with 60 new facilities—potentially thousands of beds—under agreements with private and local partners. Critics warn this move deepens reliance on detention at a time when thousands of families and individuals are already facing lengthy confinement.
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Homework: Invite God into your suffering
Take a few quiet moments today to sit with your pain, confusion, or grief, and simply say:
“God, I invite you into this. I do not understand it, but I need you here.”
You do not need fancy words or answers. Just give God permission to enter the places that hurt. Notice if you feel even a small sense of peace or warmth as you do this. Let it be enough for today.