One necessary thing

 

There were many moments in yesterday's 1/6 Select Committee hearing that were deeply disturbing and alarming. And then, after the gavel had sounded adjournment and the microphones were off, this happened.

This is Stephen Ayres, a young man, a self-described blue-collar worker, who felt called by his (then) President to defend democracy and got caught up in the crowd that gathered at the capitol. He was arrested in Ohio and pleaded guilty in June to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building. His sentencing is scheduled for September.

Ayres told the committee that the trust he placed in the former president had derailed his life and ruined his reputation. He described himself as a family man with a home and a job at a cabinet company.

As his wife sat behind him, he testified that he lost his job and sold his home and that his entire life had been disrupted by his response to the President's tweet. Once he was at the rally, he was stirred by what the then President said and, even though he hadn't planned on it, he followed the crowd to the Capitol and that decision changed his life forever.

But, it was what came at the end of his testimony that changed me.

This is a picture of Stephen Ayres who, after his testimony, came up to each officer in attendance.

“I’m really sorry,” he said to each and every one of them, some of whom are now totally disabled due to their injuries and will never be able to work at their jobs as Capitol Police again.

This is a picture of Ayres hugging Capitol Police Officer, Harry Dunn, a 13-year veteran of the force, who had testified on July 21, 2021, to the House Select Committee.

At that time, he reported that he had warned the insurrectionists who were headed to the Speaker's lobby to turn back and go home to which they said, "'No, man, this is our house. President Trump invited us here. We're here to stop the steal. Joe Biden is not the president. Nobody voted for Joe Biden.'"

Officer Dunn reported, "I'm a law enforcement officer, and I do my best to keep politics out of my job, but in this circumstance, I responded, 'Well, I voted for Joe Biden. Does my vote not count? Am I nobody?'"

"That prompted a torrent of racial epithets. One woman in a pink MAGA shirt yelled, 'You hear that guys? This n****r voted for Joe Biden.' Then the crowd, perhaps around 20 people, joined in screaming, 'Boo, fucking n****r.' No one had ever, ever called me a n****r while wearing the uniform of a Capitol Police officer."

I think it's important to know all this as you look at this picture of these two men.

I don't know how Officer Dunn responded to Mr. Ayres. Hear me: I'm not saying that Mr. Ayres is now a hero and that Officer Dunn should automatically forgive him for whatever part he played.

I don't think Mr. Ayres was apologizing on behalf of all the insurrectionists. I think he was genuinely, sincerely, apologizing for his part in that awful day in our nation.

This Sunday, we hear Jesus telling Martha and Mary that there was only "one necessary thing". Jesus seemed to be saying that Mary had chosen the "once necessary thing" which was to stay focused and not be distracted.

It's so easy to be swept up by the Media Outrage Machine on the Right and on the Left. I hear Jesus calling me to find the "one necessary thing" and not be distracted by my anxiety or busyness.

So, just for today, I'm going to use this image, this picture, as an icon of sorts - as a way into the heart of God to know the unconditional love that is there.

In the midst of being distracted by many things in this life - in my life - in this nation, and in this world, I invite you into a similar spiritual discipline.

I think this "one necessary thing" has the potential to change lives.