Lent 2023, Day 29: “Can you please pray?”

I asked my friend Kandi the question above after watching a short clip about the latest drug crisis to hit the U.S.- xylazine also known as “tranq”. Here’s another video from The Young Turks (with a Vice excerpt) with more details:

Here’s another story from ABC7 Chicago:

After seeing the poor souls in Philadelphia who actually look like The Walking Dead, I called Kandi, who had sent me the video crying. “It really got to me, too,” she said quietly. I then asked her if she’d pray, and together, we did.

I know the news brings a seemingly endless stream of bad news- the Christian school shooting in Nashville or the deadly tornadoes in Mississippi immediately come to mind- and that can trigger feelings of helplessness, fear, and sadness. So what to do? Don’t just say “thoughts and prayers” (or tweet). Pray. Like for real. Call a friend. Then pray.

• Of course, faith without works is dead. Here are some other ways to help the Mississippi victims.
• Learn about overcoming drug addiction (or having family who are addicted) here.
• Here are some prayers you can use for this world.