Pastor's Points: What Can We Do?

Pastor's Points: What can we do?

 
On June 12 ^th we woke up to the horrible news of the mass shooting at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando.  49 lives taken.  So many others injured and so many lives forever changed.     

Orlando was just the latest in an endless series of mass shootings.   Words that come to mind when we learn of these tragedies are madness, evil, horror, murder.  

Our minds struggle to understand what possesses people to commit such horrific acts.  Misguided religious beliefs, anger & revenge all factor in. In the Orlando case, hatred of homosexuals drove the shooter to commit his crime. Blatant disrespect for life abounds

What are we as a Christian people to say about all of this?  What can we do?  We believe in the cross. We believe that the cross overcomes all evil.  We believe that love overcomes hate.  And we, each day, must put into practice the principals of non-violence and peace. We much seek to be more understanding and loving. We must try to understand different opinions and really try to understand those who may be vastly different from ourselves.  We have to try to get beyond the prejudices in our life. These small things can make a difference in the small world that we live in.

In response to the Orlando shooting, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, said in a post on his blog that "the love of Jesus Christ will prevail," and while all too often "it appears that our civilization is walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil."  He said all people of goodwill must stand together "in making another impassioned appeal for peace and security in our communities and throughout the world."

Let us pray that the Lord may make us an instrument of His peace.