Worshippers pray for more love, respect at Wheaton interfaith vigil
Hope brought together about 100 people from several faith communities at Hope Presbyterian Church in Wheaton on Tuesday night, where an interfaith prayer service was held to honor the victims of the Orlando shooting.
Representatives from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities spoke during the short vigil, each expressing a need to continue and increase interfaith gatherings, and not just when something bad occurs.
“We will not let hate divide us,” said Rabbi Steve Bob of Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard. “We will not let indifference distract us.”
Azam Nizamuddin of the Islamic Foundation of Villa Park said people “drunk with wealth and political power” are not sending the right messages to the nation about ways to “incorporate love into our lives.”
“Our religions call us to faith, but they also call us to hope and they call us to love,” he said. “Therefore it's up to us as just average Americans to provide the guidance. We need to come out in full force and say we are here with you. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, we are here with you and we stand for your rights to live as Americans without fear.”
Pastor Jay Moses from Hope Presbyterian asked attendees to reach out to family members and friends who are part of the LGBT community.
“Give them a call. Let them know you love them,” he said. “Let them know that they're a creature of God, that they've been born in the image of the holy one, that God doesn't make mistakes.”
Jasvir Sing of the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine also urged attendees to keep the victims, their families and the LGBT community in their prayers after the TV cameras are gone.
“We all put labels on ourselves whether it be religious, whether it be culture, whether it be sexual orientation, and that label is supposed to be beautiful, it's supposed to show our individuality,” she said.
“Those with love in their heart, with God in their heart, they will respect that individually, they will love them for who they are, no matter what label they put on themselves,” she added. “Unfortunately, those with hatred and ignorance in their heart, they will take that label and justify something this cruel. Our challenge as a community is to respect one another as individuals and to make sure that we support one another.”
Sing and Nizamuddin read the names of the victims and their ages before a long, mournful moment of silence. The vigil concluded with the lighting of candles and attendees holding hands while singing a song called “We Shall Overcome” together.
“We are not afraid,” they sang, “We are not afraid. Deep in my heart I do believe that we shall overcome someday.”