A Message from the Priest-in-charge

I have spent the past three hours watching the news coverage of the events taking place in Washington D.C., specifically the attack by President Trump’s supporters on the Capitol. I am sickened by what I have been watching and want to offer you some personal thoughts.

As an American and a lawyer, I am distressed by the legal maneuverings attempting to give Donald Trump a second term when he demonstrably and incontrovertibly lost a free and fair election. Court after court has spoken the simple truth: he lost the election.

As a Black man, I am shocked by the images of an all-white group brandishing weapons at the US Capitol– something that has not happened since 1812. Yet, I am haunted by imagining what would have happened if that many armed Black people had stormed the Capitol– now, or in 1812.

As a man, I am distraught by President Trump’s example of what it means to be a man: fragile, petulant, ego-bound, desirous of “winning” at any cost. No demonstration of what is best in us: honor, decency, virtue, and a care for our common good.

As your priest, I am just saddened. The bright yellow “Jesus Saves” sign in today’s crowd seems to utterly misunderstand Our Lord’s title of “Prince of Peace.” I cannot understand what our Christian brothers and sisters are seeing as the link between the two.

Trinity Church: We will get through this, please do not worry about that. God is with us. May God bless us all in this tremendously difficult time.

The Rev. Phillip A. Jackson is Priest-in-charge of Trinity Church Wall Street.