As I sat in church I couldn’t help but think that 20 families in Egypt enter Lent with a needless absence of a family member. Yet, lent is about renewal and forgiveness.
As a nation we must stand against such evil.
As a Christian,  I fight to keep the love that is the basis of our faith in the face of such hate. Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Martyrs for their faith have lived in all ages and in all places. As Father Parker notes in his piece, An Orthodox Christian Response to Beheading by Muslims there was no retribution for the beheading of John the Baptist. We do remember the story.

We have to offer forgiveness for these vile acts, but at the same time we can’t forget what religious extremism brings. This lent I hope to forgive the people who are committing these atrocious acts. I will also pray for the soldiers from around the globe, Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Atheist alike that they might bring justice to an unjust world and allow those who are persecuted and those who live in fear to find a new breath of freedom.