Last Sunday, as I stood before our congregation in Nampa, Idaho, my heart was heavy. I found myself navigating a narrow, difficult space—simultaneously angry and afraid. The Gospel reading anchored us in a pivotal moment: “When Jesus heard that John the Baptist was arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.”

Initially, the word “withdrew” can feel like a retreat of fear. We might ask: Why did He leave? Why didn’t He rush into the heart of the action to confront the powers that had snatched John away for the wrong reason? But as I listened to the Spirit, I realized the profound strategy of the soul. Jesus did not withdraw because He was afraid; He withdrew into the silence to prepare. He moved into a sacred space where He could gather the strength necessary to take on the unjust, to stand for truth, and to eventually emerge with a call that would shake the foundations of the world. “Repent.” Later, he turned the tables upside down! Remember that!

Violence against violence is never an option for the believer. Yet, the presence of Christ-like peace does not mean a lack of conviction. When we see cruelty and murder committed against the innocent—in our country or around the world - as we have seen in the tragic cases of Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti—we are under a holy mandate to call the perpetrators to repentance. I promise you, there will be a day of reckoning. But before that, I invite you to hold your elected leaders accountable for their atrocities against people, children of God.

We are being told by those in power that these actions are about “illegal immigration.” But you and I must have the discernment to see through the veil. This is not about immigration; it is about power. It is about the desperate holding on to power by creating an atmosphere of fear and mistrust of each other.

During the election, some candidates were startlingly open about this goal. The hallmark of authoritarian ambition is the belief that real power is found in the ability to terrify one’s own people. These ambitions are now being played out in plain sight. I invite you to open your hearts and minds. Do not dupe yourself into thinking this is about the safety of the people, because the actions we are witnessing prove otherwise.

PLEASE, believe your eyes!

When fear is the primary tool of the state, it is not safety they are building—it is a dungeon. History proves it over and over!

Like Jesus, we must check in with ourselves. We must withdraw into the discipline of the spirit so that we can emerge with clarity. I ask you to pray. I ask you to fast. I ask you to find your voice and take a stand for your own dignity, the dignity of your children, and the dignity of your neighbor.

We do not seek conflict, but we cannot sleep through the dismantling of mercy. I pray for calm, but more than that, I pray for a justice that refuses to be silenced by fear.

So, today, we remember these people killed or died in ICE custody in 2026!

Alex Jeffrey Pretti — January 24, 2026

Renée Nicole Good — January 7, 2026

Geraldo Lunas Campos — January 3, 2026

May the souls of these beloved ones Rest in Peace! May God do justice and show mercy to those who perpetrated them!

I invite you to ask yourself in prayer these questions.

* When I feel the urge to “withdraw” from the news or the suffering of others, am I retreating into a shell of apathy, or am I entering a silence that prepares me for action?

* How can I distinguish between the “safety” promised by power and the “peace” promised by Christ?

* What does “repentance” look like in a society that has begun to justify the mistreatment of the innocent, and am I brave enough to speak that word aloud?