I begin each Sports and Spirituality class with prayer and a sports thought of the day. As much as I wanted to discuss the Irish win over the Aggies in College Station (Notre Dame 23 — Texas A&M 13) or the record set by Joey Chestnut who ate 86 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, (Unfinished Beef), I deferred to a topic very close to home that made national headlines: the shooting of the Forty Niners rookie wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall.
There are more pressing headlines to unpack, no doubt. But here are five reasons why my seniors and I believe this was an important matter to consider, reflect upon, pray over and learn more about.
The profile pic of San Francisco is the very first reason a number of my students thought this story was worth a class discussion. It's not easy to give this one a thumbs up either.
I have resided in San Francisco for the past twenty years. My mother grew up in the City and my Grandparents lived and died here. It is home. Growing up nearly 30 miles east, I didn't plan to live here this long, but the City of St. Francis has a hold on me. Like every city in the world, SF has changed. In many ways it has grown and changed for the better...but you will never hear that on television.
The story that is being told about the City by the Bay is that it is incredibly dangerous and utterly filthy. San Francisco is lawless and crime is everywhere. Unhoused people rule the roost and there are no consequences for breaking the law.
From time to time, it's not hard to believe that might be true. But, for those of us who live and work in San Francisco and love its 49 square miles, what we hear other people say and what the media prefers to show is the worst of the worst. Remember, this is our home. It is not a tourist trap. It is is not a suburb. Urban life is always demanding.
Nevertheless, narratives aren't easy to control, but San Franciscans want the current one to change. We have struggles. We need reform. And, we are not alone. I have yet to find a place that is perfect. I won't paint a Pollyanna picture, AND this story is a set-back.
People have taken issue the fact that this story is getting extensive local and national coverage because it involves a high profile professional athlete. Noted. However, case like this one reminds all of us that violent crime can and does happen to anyone, at any time in the day, any where.
On Nextdoor.com I happened to run across the report of an attempted armed robbery at Alta Vista Park—one block from where I live—at 2:45 in the afternoon. The assault occurred in a very public area, in a well populated place—the Pacific Heights neighborhood for what purpose? A purse. My roommates and neighbors had not heard about this event.
The Pearsall shooting serves as a sad but important reminder that everyone must all be careful and pay attention to keep safe in public. We shouldn't need a reminder but we do. Pearsall's experience brought this to light.
3. Theodicy
Erin Pearsall posted a heartfelt update about her son via X on social media. A devout Christian, she offered a beautiful testimony of God's grace. I appreciate her words of gratitude, humility and belief. And her message points to an important question we might ask in considering what happened.
Her son Ricky was shielded and spared; he survived. Thanks be to God. And yet, a question this prompts is one I cannot answer. Does God not shield or spare all people? Why do some survive? How is it that others go unprotected? The truth of tragedy of our takes on events present spiritual quagmires. One of them has a name: Theodicy.
San Francisco police officer Sgt. Joelle Harrell ought to be commended for not only getting to the right place at the right time, but also for doing everything right. Though she said she wishes she could have been at the scene of the crime to prevent what had happened—"I happened to be at the other end of the street at that time, I got here as fast as I could. I got others here as fast as we could and everybody responded the way they should have. I couldn't be more grateful for that."
Tactically, she knew what to do. As written by NBC Bay Area News Coverage,
She spotted Pearsall and noticed that he was bleeding from his head and his chest. He was losing a lot of blood and sh
"I used my strong hand to cover it and used my other hand to cover the other wound," she said. "It was causing a lot of bleeding. I didn't want it to bother him. I wanted him to be calm."
Within seconds, she began trying to calm Pearsall and ask him for a description of the attempted robber. She said she then called for backup and broadcast the suspect's description over police radio.
They were able to catch the assailant. She was able to accompany Pearsall to the help he needed. Others in the area were made aware that SFPD, though short 500 officers does indeed have a positive and effective presence.
We need women and men to work in law enforcement and we need them to be good at what they do. They need our support, far beyond financial compensation. We all need to recognize the importance that comes with this work: a strong sense of mission and purpose as well as the affirmation that law enforcement keeps us safe, saves lives, and reduces crime. They must hold one another accountable and recognize how they can and do promote the flourishing of our cities, homes and neighborhoods. Again, this story serves as a reminder.
It is never easy to read about crime, let alone violent crime—including armed robbery in a place so close to home. When I read that Pearsall asked Sgt. Harrell, Am I gonna die? my eyes pooled with tears. His question speaks to the fear he must have felt.
Sgt. Harrell offered remarkable counsel. She recalled this interaction by reporting, "He looked at me...I said 'No,'" Harrell added, "I take off my hat because I wanted to make eye contact with him. I wanted him to hear me. I said to him, 'Listen, look at me. I know you don't know me, but I want you to trust me, it's not your time.'You're going to be okay. Okay? God is with us!"
Harrell's response came from a place of conviction: belief and faith in a God who is with us. Her words brought comfort and assurance that it was not his time. Obviously we don't know when it is. But when we ask that question— it's a gift that someone else can speak to it.
In 2010 when I had a major cardiac event, I was aware that I was in peril. The conversation between the EMTs and me came to a halt. Each person on the scene became very focused on how to address my heart and make sure I would stay alive.
At no point did I think I was going to die. I did not ask if I was because I felt an inner strength and awarness that it wasn't. I prayed the Hail Mary, as I always do when I am frightened or scared. I take comfort and assurance in Our Lady; I call on her to look over me. She did (as did my Grandma. A story for another time).
I don't know if Pearsall offered a prayer of his own or not, but I do know Sgt. Harrell did by her very words and actions. Living our prayers might be the best way to pray them.
In Closing
This story raises a number of compelling questions. How will this event impact the mayoral election? How might each candidate speak to it differently? What is the proper punishment? Should the assailant be tried as an adult? How ought we best continue the conversation about guns? Why do we struggle to see the value of life? Does a person really have a sense of when it is their time? When it is not? How can help others to recognize God is always with us?
The author Matthew Kelly claims that we are not teaching young people how to think but what to think. I hope this example, among others is an exercise in thinking. This past week as we had a tragic school shooting in Georgia. This tragedy in addition to others certainl gets us thinking. That exercise ought to begin with raising the questions. They are worth asking and answering.
Photo Credits
Pearsall
Bow
Presser
Niners Statement
Well written and thought provoking!
ReplyDelete