Once again, we were reminded this past week that we live in a fallen world. The Eric Garner case is, simply put, a tragedy. Whenever anyone loses his or her life in an act of violence, it is a tragedy. It doesn’t matter that Garner is older or younger, black or white, what matters is that he is a human being, a husband, a father. What matters is that someone created in the image and likeness of God is gone.

The protests that have gone on in the city and across the country, for the most part, are focusing on justice and equality. But what’s the real issue? The real issue is that life is not valued; it is not considered sacred. Every life is precious.

From conception to natural death, every life has value. Do we recognize this? Everyone involved in this situation is hurting; all involved need our prayers, Garner, his family and friends, and yes, even the police officers. The situation has devolved into partisan politics and we need someone, something, that can bring us all together. And for everyone, people of Catholic faith, for people of any or even of no faith, it is the Lord.

The tensions in this city and nation over the tragic deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Greene, stand in stark contrast to the world view given by the prophet Isaiah in the readings at Holy Mass over the past two weeks of Advent. Listen to the words of this prophet once again:

“Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;

The calf and the young lion shall browse together,

with a little child to guide them.”

This seemingly utopian image of Isaiah may seem so far off, so foreign compared to the madness engulfing our city. Isaiah’s vision is not impossible, though. We, as New Yorkers, need to be, more than ever, a people of hope. How can we do this?

We can do this recognizing that each and every person is a gift of God. Every life matters. Black, white, red, yellow and brown lives all matter; so too do lives of police officers, who are trained to serve the public good.

Created in God’s image and likeness, every human being matters, even if they do not look like us or act like us, for Christ, the one who is and who was and who is to come, was born into this world to save everyone.