I intended to write this morning about the homilies I heard on Friday and Sunday. But at this moment, it’s hard to think about or write about anything other than what happened in Chardon this morning. I don’t know about anyone else, but the thought that something so horrific could happen in a place so close to where I am is almost impossible to comprehend. Columbine seems years and miles away from today. I was 19 years old when Columbine occurred – long before the days of Facebook, Twitter or texting. One thing I am grateful for is that so many kids carry cell phones now and were likely able to contact their families to let them know they were okay. But there’s a double-edge sword in that as well. For every parent that received an instant text or phone call, there were undoubtedly some who did not and were likely panicked. There were exaggerated, inaccurate news accounts out there of what happened and who did it. There were Twitter photos identifying the shooter that may have been incorrectly posted. There is a rush in our society now. A rush to find out, a rush to know and a rush to tell everyone what we think is the truth.
Is there a rush to pray? I think so. I saw many posts on Facebook talking about praying. Praying for the victims – for their families – for the shooter. Pray for the kids who never wondered or worried about being safe when they went to school. Pray that their innocence might be returned to them. Pray that evil can stop and love can spread.
Whatever you might pray for or to whom you might pray, it is never too late to start. There is never a reason to believe that He is not listening to you.
Days of Special Meaning 