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A Servant for Justice: Baptismal Courage in a Time of State Violence
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A beloved child of God is dead.
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On January 8, 2026, Reuters reported that a 37-year-old Minnesota mother and U.S. citizen, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by a U.S. immigration agent in Minneapolis during a large federal operation, as protests spread in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities. The incident is now under investigation, with sharply conflicting official narratives about what happened in the moments before the shooting.
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As people of faith, and as a parish committed to outreach to the least, the lost, and the forgotten, we cannot treat this as just another headline. This is a pastoral emergency. A spiritual crisis. And a moment that demands Christian clarity.
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“A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break” (Isaiah 42)
Isaiah gives us the image of God’s Servant, chosen, upheld, filled with God’s Spirit, not to crush, but to heal; not to dominate, but to establish justice. The Servant is gentle and unyielding: “He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice on the earth.” (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7)
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Isaiah also says the Servant is sent “to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon.” (Isaiah 42:6-7) When a government’s power becomes masked, militarized, and unaccountable, when it targets communities through fear, raids, and spectacle, the Church must hear Isaiah plainly: God is not neutral about captivity. God is not indifferent to state violence.
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“God Shows no Partiality” (Acts 10)
In Acts, Peter makes a revolutionary declaration: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality.” (Acts 10:34-38)
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This is not a polite religious slogan. It is a direct assault on every hierarchy that declares some lives more disposable than others.
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Peter then summarizes Jesus’ ministry: Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, and he “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed.” (Acts 10:38)
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That word matters: oppressed.
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Not merely unfortunate. Not merely struggling. Oppressed, harmed by systems, crushed by power, targeted by authorities, treated as threats instead of neighbors. The early Church proclaimed that Jesus stands with such people, and that the Spirit anoints the Church to do the same.
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Jesus Enters the Water with the Vulnerable (Matthew 3)
Matthew tells us Jesus comes to John for baptism, a baptism meant for repentance, and John resists: “I need to be baptized by you.” But Jesus insists. He steps into the water anyway. (Matthew 3:13-17)
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This is solidarity before it is spectacle.
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Jesus identifies with people under suspicion, people being searched, judged, monitored, and condemned. Then the heavens open and God names him: “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
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Here is the heart of Christian resistance: before Jesus ever preaches a sermon, before he performs a miracle, before he earns anything, God calls him Beloved.
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If we are baptized into Christ, then we are baptized into that same truth: people do not have to earn their dignity. They have it because God gives it.
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Naming the Threat: Fascism Is a Spiritual Danger
We should be honest: fascism is not only a political problem, it is a spiritual counterfeit.
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Fascism trains people to worship force, to crave domination, to treat cruelty as strength, and to accept lies if they feel emotionally satisfying. It creates scapegoats and calls them invaders. It demands loyalty and punishes compassion. Furthermore, it normalizes the unthinkable until our moral imagination shrinks.
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When Christians remain silent in the face of such patterns, we are not being peaceful. We are being formed, slowly, into acceptance of violence.
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Isaiah’s Servant does not accept that formation. Acts’ gospel does not accept it. Jesus’ baptism does not bless it.
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A Franciscan Word: Stand with the Marginalized
At Saint Francis Parish and Outreach, our identity is not abstract. It is practical: to stand with those pushed to the edges, including immigrants, the poor, the unhoused, LGBTQ plus neighbors, people targeted for their race, religion, language, or disability, anyone the powerful find convenient to threaten.
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Today, we grieve Renee Nicole Good. We grieve her family. We grieve a nation where a U.S. citizen can be killed in an enforcement operation surrounded by confusion, propaganda, and fear.
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And we also grieve the deeper wound: the steady attempt to make us numb.
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But we will not be numbed.
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What Faithfulness Can Look like Right Now
We can respond in ways that are explicitly Christian, rooted in baptism, scripture, and solidarity:
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- Pray with specificity, and with names.
Not vague prayers that float above reality, but prayers that speak truth: for Renee Nicole Good, for those traumatized by raids, for those living in fear, for courage, repentance, and protection.
- Reject dehumanizing language in our homes and communities.
When people are called “illegals,” “infestation,” “animals,” or “terrorists” without evidence, Christians must intervene, calmly, firmly, consistently.
- Practice accompaniment.
Show up for immigrants and marginalized neighbors in tangible ways: rides, meals, child care, court accompaniment, mutual aid, community presence.
- Demand accountability as a moral duty.
Seeking investigation, transparency, and justice is not being political, it is refusing to let killing be normalized.
Baptized People Do Not Look Away
Isaiah promises a Servant who brings justice without crushing the weak. Acts proclaims a God who shows no partiality. Matthew shows Jesus entering the water, choosing solidarity, and being named Beloved.
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So here is our call:
To stand against fascism.
To stand up for those who are marginalized.
To refuse the lie that some people are expendable.
To live our baptism publicly, where it costs something.
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Because the Church is not most true when it is safest.
The Church is most true when it is most faithful.
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Join us every Sunday at 3:00 PM at 557 Greene Street in Augusta, Georgia in the sanctuary of the MCC of Our Redeemer. Rosary starts at 2:25 PM every Sunday.
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January 11, 2026: Baptism of our Lord
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Mass Intention: For an end to fascism in our nation and for the protection of all those fighting for Justice.
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January 18, 2026: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Mass Intention: For the St. George family and Saint Miriam Parish.
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For the St. George family; Fr. Bryan Wolf; Mary Nehls; for Kelesh’s daughter; James (Cancer); Linda (Cancer); Jacob (Cancer); James Long (Cancer); Mickey; Jacob Williams; Kelesh and family; Lindsay; Sherlock Bones; Tatum Johnson (Job); Brittney (Cancer); Jennifer (DV Survivor, Homeless); Bishop James Long; David; John; Joy; Greenbear; Bishop Ben and Darlene Williams; Ryn Ingells; growth for our parish family; all those in the path of the wildfires and severe weather, end of hostilities in Ukraine and the Middle East; for an end to gun violence.
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Can't make it to Mass?
You can still join us virtually, you can by using any of the following outlets:
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Support our Parish!
We are in desperate need to financial support to keep our parish going. We are in need of $350 to pay for our music licenses for 2026. Also consider making an automatic monthly donation to our parish for 2026! Please donate today using the following links or QR Codes:
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Venmo: @saintfrancisparish
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CashApp: $saintfrancisparish
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Joint Fellowship Opportunities
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Parish Bible Study
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Our Bible Study will resume January 15, 2026 with our study of the book of James.
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Our Parish Outreaches
Human First Outreach
This ministry focuses on providing food and toiletry supplies to the homeless in the Augusta, Georgia area. We provide feminine hygiene products to those that need them and food for the pets of our homeless friends and family.
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We are working to bring a human touch to this ministry as we encourage volunteers to engage with the individuals we are helping in a compassionate and loving way. We expect all volunteers to refrain from proselytizing and preaching to those we serve. Instead, take a hint from Hamilton “talk less, listen more”.
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If you would like to donate to this important ministry, you can visit our Amazon wishlist and purchase items to be sent directly to us.
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Reclaiming the Cross Outreach
Check out our newest outreach in which we work to set the record straight on what the Bible says about many of the issues facing our society today!
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Reclaiming the Cross is an outreach of our parish headed up by Subdeacon Luna Godsey.
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Podcast Outreach
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Sunday Selfies
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Don't forget to take your Sunday Selfie and send them to us! You can email them to us at info@oursaintfrancis.org or tag us on Facebook using #saintfrancisparish and #sundayselfie.
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Our Parish goes social...
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