Violence saddens me... especially senseless violence like the shooting and killing of some 12 innocent people in a movie theater in Colorado... and the injuring of dozens more. Why would it even cross someone's mind to ever do something such as this?
Human beings... in our free-will, our gifts of intellect, and the gift of our passions, are capable of great sacrifices of Love and virtue. It is apparent, however, that we are also capable of grotesque and abhorrent acts such as the one in Colorado this morning.
The motive of this "alleged" shooter, a 24 year old man, is unknown. New information says he also planted bombs in the apartment which he lived, and that he just waited there for Police to come and arrest him. He did not take his own life, which so many of the shooters like him tend to do. It seems he was not afraid of what would happen to him. This makes me believe that this was well planned on his part, not an act of passion, and that through it, he wishes to make some statement. He will surely get enough stage time to say what he wants.
But really... why does anyone do something like this? While this action can never be excused, and we can never initially know the fullness of motives for why violence happens, especially in this case, there is a history of shootings among those who are bullied. We live in a SINFUL world, my friends, and we MUST, we are OBLIGATED, do to everything we can individually and as a community to make sure things like these never happen. At the end of time, when we stand before God and he shows us the effects of our actions throughout our whole lives... how many of us will be happy with what they see? I urge you, do not let this act, or Columbine, or Cold Springs, or Virginia Tech, go in vain! Keep them in your mind, pray about them, and let them motivate you to live every moment of every day in love for your neighbor... especially those who feel as though no one loves them. Love can change hearts. Love can convert sinners. Love can prevent acts such as this shooting.
Finally, brothers and sisters, I wish to impress on you the importance this shows us of being ready for our death! Those people in the movie theater, I say with confident certainty that none of them went to the movie expecting to be killed. How many of them now, wish that they had lived lives closer to God, that they had gone to Church or confession just one more time, or that they had made amends with broken relationships they just never got around to? Life is precious! But even more important is what happens to us after life... let's not take either for granted--let's live life to the fullest, loving, maintaining healthy relationships, and doing what God wants us to do, and lets do it with our eyes set to heaven, taking care to avoid any sin, and asking for forgiveness as soon as we can for those sins we do commit.
We pray, O Lord, for all those affected by the shooting in Aurora, CO this morning. For those who were taken, eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine on them. For those who loved them, or who will be forever changed by the experience, we ask you to send down your Holy Spirit to console them. We pray that, in the devastation and suffering that they are feeling, they cling closer to you and that they're hearts not be hardened or despair. Finally, we pray for the man who committed this atrocity, may he feel true sorrow and repent of his sin, and may everyone who hates him, who wishes damnation on him, experience a softening of heart and pray for his conversion. Amen.
Showing posts with label Forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Forgiveness. Show all posts
Friday, July 20, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
One Year After Marshall
Today (Jan 15, 2012) marks the one year anniversary of me quitting my Youth Ministry job in Marshall, MN. I've thought a lot about what happened over the last year, why it happened, who its changed me, and where I am in life now because of it. This post is, for the most part, a reflection and attempt at healing, it is also in part, an apology.
As much as I would like to blame my departure from Marshall mostly on other people, the truth is it had as much to do with me as anyone else. Yes, I was working long hours with what seemed to be very little support from parents. Yes, there were people I didn't get along with. But more than that, I had no friends and I was homesick--four hours away from my now fiance, and 3 from my family. I was spiritually dead--I didn't feel a part of the parish or able to upkeep my spirituality. I missed grad school and the challenge of learning. I was inconfident in my ability as a youth minister and got very little affirmation I was doing a good job. All these combined lead me to be depressed, which lead me to be apathetic about how I was doing. Let's get one thing straight though--I did not leave because of the youth. They were great, and the reason why I stayed as long as I did. The reasons I left were because of the parents, the job itself, and even more so because of my personal inadequacies.
My program started to slip, parents began to meet and decide whether I should stay or go. I think secretly I was looking for a way out, so when the priest came and offered a chance to peacefully resign, I jumped at it, and I was gone two days later. Without saying goodbye to anyone.
This last part is what I regret the most. It's not that I was a crappy youth minister, that I didn't do everything I could have done in the program, or even that I realized that's not what I'm called to do as a job--but what I regret the most is that I feel I both ran away and abandoned the youth.
And it is this regret that I am still trying to get over--did I do the right thing, or was leaving in the manner I did cowardly? I don't really know yet, but i'm working through the answers to some of my questions. Was going to Marshall in the first place the right decision? I'm pretty sure it was. Was leaving Marshall the right decision? I think it probably was. What I do know however, is that no matter how much I regret the manner in which I left, if I'm to evaluate the decision based off of the current status of my life, leaving Marhsall is quite possibly the best decision of my life.
In just a year I've gotten engaged to (I can honestly say) the most beautiful woman in the world (an event that probably would not have happened if I had stayed in Marshall), I've completed a semester of my Masters of Arts in Theology program at Saint Paul Seminary, and I'm two weeks into a job that I absolutely love. I must say, while in Marshall I was nearly miserable, lately I am the happiest that I have ever been.
I still have some healing to do, still have some things to work out in my mind and heart... but now that I'm happy, I can do that.
As much as I would like to blame my departure from Marshall mostly on other people, the truth is it had as much to do with me as anyone else. Yes, I was working long hours with what seemed to be very little support from parents. Yes, there were people I didn't get along with. But more than that, I had no friends and I was homesick--four hours away from my now fiance, and 3 from my family. I was spiritually dead--I didn't feel a part of the parish or able to upkeep my spirituality. I missed grad school and the challenge of learning. I was inconfident in my ability as a youth minister and got very little affirmation I was doing a good job. All these combined lead me to be depressed, which lead me to be apathetic about how I was doing. Let's get one thing straight though--I did not leave because of the youth. They were great, and the reason why I stayed as long as I did. The reasons I left were because of the parents, the job itself, and even more so because of my personal inadequacies.
My program started to slip, parents began to meet and decide whether I should stay or go. I think secretly I was looking for a way out, so when the priest came and offered a chance to peacefully resign, I jumped at it, and I was gone two days later. Without saying goodbye to anyone.
This last part is what I regret the most. It's not that I was a crappy youth minister, that I didn't do everything I could have done in the program, or even that I realized that's not what I'm called to do as a job--but what I regret the most is that I feel I both ran away and abandoned the youth.
And it is this regret that I am still trying to get over--did I do the right thing, or was leaving in the manner I did cowardly? I don't really know yet, but i'm working through the answers to some of my questions. Was going to Marshall in the first place the right decision? I'm pretty sure it was. Was leaving Marshall the right decision? I think it probably was. What I do know however, is that no matter how much I regret the manner in which I left, if I'm to evaluate the decision based off of the current status of my life, leaving Marhsall is quite possibly the best decision of my life.
In just a year I've gotten engaged to (I can honestly say) the most beautiful woman in the world (an event that probably would not have happened if I had stayed in Marshall), I've completed a semester of my Masters of Arts in Theology program at Saint Paul Seminary, and I'm two weeks into a job that I absolutely love. I must say, while in Marshall I was nearly miserable, lately I am the happiest that I have ever been.
I still have some healing to do, still have some things to work out in my mind and heart... but now that I'm happy, I can do that.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Divine Mercy, Divine Justice
I want to reflect briefly on the Gospel reading for today. You can read it here, or just open your Bible to Mathew 18:21-35.
First, I want to look at the exchange between Jesus and the Apostle Peter. Peter, asking the Lord how many times he should forgive his neighbor, suggests an answer to his own question--7 times. Now, Peter thought he was pretty hot stuff here, because according to Jewish law you only had to forgive your neighbor 3 times before seeking justice. Not only did Peter double that number, but he added one--clearly he went above and beyond the requirements of the Law. However, Jesus responds that he must forgive his neighbor 77 times. In Bible-speak that basically translates to an "inconceivable amount". No Jew of their time would ever have fathomed forgiving a neighbor that many times. This is the incredible challenge that Christ gives us, to forgive unceasingly. God does this as well, although he also deal out Divine Justice as well... but only per our choice.
The second half of the Gospel is the parable Christ tells to illustrate the need for human forgiveness, the gift of Divine mercy, and manifestation of Divine Justice. Interpreting from the allegorical sense, the Master in the parable is God, who despite us being unworthy and completely unable to pay our debt to him, forgave us our debts and allows us to live with him. Because God has forgiven us, we must also forgive our brethren. When we are "trespassed against", we must show mercy and forgive those have hurt us. Why? Because when we fail to live in the light and example of God's mercy, we are choosing rather to live in His justice--and what is the justice of non-forgiving? Being unforgiven. This is what results in Hell (or in the case of the parable, torture).
I think it especially providential that these readings occurred on the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say--God wants us to forgive the men who did this and who continue to do such things. Should we wish Hell on these men, and on Osama Bin Laden? No, for that is not love. Instead we should forgive them, choose to move on and not let it control our lives, and even radically pray for their conversion and entrance into heaven. It's a hard message to hear, many wounds are still open or never actually healed properly, but I urge you, if you want to receive God's mercy you must give mercy yourself... and if you can do it with Sept 11, you can pretty much do it with anything.
May you find love and mercy in your heart.
First, I want to look at the exchange between Jesus and the Apostle Peter. Peter, asking the Lord how many times he should forgive his neighbor, suggests an answer to his own question--7 times. Now, Peter thought he was pretty hot stuff here, because according to Jewish law you only had to forgive your neighbor 3 times before seeking justice. Not only did Peter double that number, but he added one--clearly he went above and beyond the requirements of the Law. However, Jesus responds that he must forgive his neighbor 77 times. In Bible-speak that basically translates to an "inconceivable amount". No Jew of their time would ever have fathomed forgiving a neighbor that many times. This is the incredible challenge that Christ gives us, to forgive unceasingly. God does this as well, although he also deal out Divine Justice as well... but only per our choice.
The second half of the Gospel is the parable Christ tells to illustrate the need for human forgiveness, the gift of Divine mercy, and manifestation of Divine Justice. Interpreting from the allegorical sense, the Master in the parable is God, who despite us being unworthy and completely unable to pay our debt to him, forgave us our debts and allows us to live with him. Because God has forgiven us, we must also forgive our brethren. When we are "trespassed against", we must show mercy and forgive those have hurt us. Why? Because when we fail to live in the light and example of God's mercy, we are choosing rather to live in His justice--and what is the justice of non-forgiving? Being unforgiven. This is what results in Hell (or in the case of the parable, torture).
I think it especially providential that these readings occurred on the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say--God wants us to forgive the men who did this and who continue to do such things. Should we wish Hell on these men, and on Osama Bin Laden? No, for that is not love. Instead we should forgive them, choose to move on and not let it control our lives, and even radically pray for their conversion and entrance into heaven. It's a hard message to hear, many wounds are still open or never actually healed properly, but I urge you, if you want to receive God's mercy you must give mercy yourself... and if you can do it with Sept 11, you can pretty much do it with anything.
May you find love and mercy in your heart.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Power of Words
First Tuesday of Lent
Readings:
Is 55:10-11
34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
Mt 6:7-15
I actually wrote about this for the Lenten reflection last year. So I will just copy and paste.
In today's reading we find a two-fold meaning--that all things have purpose under God, and that words have power when used correctly. Just as God sends the rain and snow with a purpose, so does he send his Word. This word is both Christ and the words that He speaks. Jesus gives us a formula for prayer, and warns us against useless and futile "babble" meant only for show and with no love towards God.
How do these two ideas fit together? The image in Isaiah gives us a picture of words as fulfilling. The water and snow give life and allow the budding of plants, giving food and rich soil. Jesus likewise gives us fulfillment--He gives us new life through his death and resurrection, and sustains us with his body and blood. When praying we hear that God "gives us our daily bread", "forgives us our trespasses", and "delivers us from evil". We thus see that it is not words in general that have power, but words that come from the authority of God. One way in which this power can be manifested is in forgiveness. God gives us the power to say to one another, "I forgive you". These words are fulfilling to us, and their purpose is to recreate a bond of love.
In this time of Lent forgiveness is imperative. How can we not forgive a transgressor when Christ forgave through His most painful death and in spite of innocence? We are the biggest transgressors. In the act of forgiving we are released from the chains that keep us from our brothers an sisters and we bring ourselves closer in unity with Christ on the cross. It is in dying this way, free from those that hurt us, that we are able to rise again with Christ at Easter.
Readings:
Is 55:10-11
34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19Mt 6:7-15
I actually wrote about this for the Lenten reflection last year. So I will just copy and paste.
In today's reading we find a two-fold meaning--that all things have purpose under God, and that words have power when used correctly. Just as God sends the rain and snow with a purpose, so does he send his Word. This word is both Christ and the words that He speaks. Jesus gives us a formula for prayer, and warns us against useless and futile "babble" meant only for show and with no love towards God.
How do these two ideas fit together? The image in Isaiah gives us a picture of words as fulfilling. The water and snow give life and allow the budding of plants, giving food and rich soil. Jesus likewise gives us fulfillment--He gives us new life through his death and resurrection, and sustains us with his body and blood. When praying we hear that God "gives us our daily bread", "forgives us our trespasses", and "delivers us from evil". We thus see that it is not words in general that have power, but words that come from the authority of God. One way in which this power can be manifested is in forgiveness. God gives us the power to say to one another, "I forgive you". These words are fulfilling to us, and their purpose is to recreate a bond of love.
In this time of Lent forgiveness is imperative. How can we not forgive a transgressor when Christ forgave through His most painful death and in spite of innocence? We are the biggest transgressors. In the act of forgiving we are released from the chains that keep us from our brothers an sisters and we bring ourselves closer in unity with Christ on the cross. It is in dying this way, free from those that hurt us, that we are able to rise again with Christ at Easter.
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