Washington, D.C., July 15, 2024 – In light of the act of violence committed against former President Donald Trump in Butler, PA, Bread for the World expresses deep concern and urges the nation to come together in unity and prayer.
Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World, issued the following statement:
“We are all deeply shaken. May we be in prayer for former President Donald Trump, his recovery, and his family. Additionally, please keep the victim, Corey Comperatore, his family, and all those injured or traumatized by these events in your prayers. Regardless of one’s political affiliation or lack thereof, there is no room for political violence in our democracy, and we must reject and condemn it in all forms.”
He continued, “We are living in one of the most polarized times in our nation. In the coming days, weeks, and months ahead, we can either escalate or strive to embody a better way. We must choose the latter. May we recommit ourselves to defending and strengthening our democracy.”
Bread, a non-partisan Christian advocacy organization, remains steadfast in its mission to advocate for policies and programs that will bring about the end of hunger. Grounded in our faith in Christ, we believe in the inherent dignity of every individual and strive to create systems that affirm equality and advance equity among all human beings. Our collaborative efforts with diverse communities and leaders are a testament to our commitment to fostering a world where everyone can flourish.
Our faith is at the core of who we are, and it is grounded in love – love of God, and love of our neighbors as ourselves. We choose to be guided by love not only as we show up in our congregations, on social media, and in supporting vulnerable people in our communities, but also in how we show up in public spaces – whether that is in the way we engage presidential or congressional candidates, the way we vote, the way we participate in political discourse, and our advocacy actions. Violent rhetoric is inseparable from violent actions, so we must call on each other, our society, and our elected leaders to model a better path of civility and respect for the dignity of one another – including those with whom we disagree. As the Bible admonishes us, we must “seek peace and pursue it”. -Psalm 34:14.
Cho emphasized the importance of unity and prayer: “May we be in prayer for America. May we also be in prayer for our world – and for so many who are ensnared in conflict and violence. Lord, in your mercy….”
In closing, Bread offers this prayer:
God of Love and Peace,
We come to you shaken by the violence that has unfolded in our political process.
We hold in prayer the former President, the person who lost his life, the people who were injured, and all who are impacted by this shooting. We pray for elected officials who daily live with threats of violence.
We pray especially for our nation this day.
We pray that a spirit of unity might prevail.
May we come together to love one another,
to show compassion for one another,
and to be agents of peace among one another.
We pray for our democracy, that even as we struggle to find a unified way forward our union will be made more perfect in our faithfulness to this our system of self-governance with checks and balances on power.
God of grace, be our guide and our protection as we discern our way forward as a nation.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray,
Amen
For more on Bread’s faith-based approach to engaging the 2024 election visit: bread.org/vote-to-end-hunger
