Some 43,000 Americans die by gun every year. As Christians, we are called to save lives and we must work to save lives from gun violence. We can do this in part when we cast our ballot. So often after a tragedy such as a school shooting, an anguished parent or a government official says “We have to do something.” There is actually no mystery about what must be done. Research shows which gun regulations are effective in saving lives. That research has found that the 10 states with the strongest gun laws have a much lower gun death rate compared to the 10 states with the weakest gun laws. The nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety is the organization that ranks states on the strength of their gun laws. Missouri is ranked 38 out of 50 for strength of our gun laws, meaning that we are in the group of states with the weakest laws. And 1,378 people die by guns in Missouri every year. Our mission to prevent gun violence would benefit greatly from the passage of some common sense gun laws, such as mandatory background checks on all gun purchases and a waiting period (e.g., 48 hours) between purchase and taking possession of the weapon, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines for civilians, “red flag” or ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Order) laws, which allow law enforcement to remove firearms from someone who is an immediate danger to themselves or others. As voters, we can choose candidates who pledge to pass life-saving legislation. A non-partisan website, gunsensevoter.org, provides a list of all candidates who have promised to support such legislation. It’s easy to search the website for your own legislative districts and candidates. I urge you to pray for God’s guidance as you vote, and especially as you consider how your vote can have an impact on gun violence in our state and our nation. As we say in the prayer of St. Francis, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”