The news has once again been filled with a horrific story of a mass shooting at a school. This time, at a K-8 Catholic parish/school where students, parents, teachers and grandparents had gathered for worship at the opening Mass for the new school year. Because it happened in my city, in my diocese, it hit close to home. That people in my Catholic circles knew some of the parishioners, victims and the perpetrator’s family, made it even more troubling.
After the initial shock ebbs, we naturally turn our attention to the shooter because we need to sort out in our minds how this can happen. How does such evil get entrenched in a person’s heart only to burst out in these incredible acts of violence that cannot possibly be anticipated. While the secular media searched for clues for someone or something to blame, they cannot admit that no law, no economic system, no politician, no utopian cultural program or ideology can solve the problem of sin and evil. We all sin. We all have evil in our hearts. We all have to check ourselves frequently to make sure we are weeding it out through prayer, examination and confession.
As the secular world becomes more godless, the Devil rushes in to fill the holes. Us Catholics are so often like the ancient Hebrews who would slowly begin to adopt the ways of the pagans in their midst. Eventually a little pagan yeast here and there would spoil the whole dough. Nothing is new under the sun; it happens today. We refuse to take a stand against secularism that is encroaching on our families, our kids, our schools, workplaces and even in our Catholic churches. It’s too hard to accept the whole Truth of Jesus’ teaching on marriage, family, sexual boundaries, and the male and the female, because it doesn’t fit the narrative of the culture. It’s easier to shave a little Church teaching off here and there, so we can meld into our neighborhoods, families, and workplaces and everyone can live in peace.
But evil doesn’t want peace. The more we back down, the more we cede sacred territory to the culture and wonder why there is no peace.
The answer to all of this is to stand stronger in Christ, stronger in our Faith, and to be His light. This takes courage, but we have the spiritual tools given by Heaven to help us: The Mass, confession, rosary, Eucharistic adoration, consecration to the Immaculate Heart, numerous devotions, including the First Fridays and First Saturdays. We must put on the armor of Christ in order to stand firm against the fierce demonic battles that we are facing.
If our lives reflect Christ’s light, we will grow brighter as the darkness grows. We will stand out for who we are – strong in Christ and firm in battle – rather than hidden amidst the pagans and covered in gloom. People will start to see that there is something better than the cesspool that engulfs them.
I was ruminating all weekend about how the mainstream media typically reports on these mass shooting events and tries to pin it on someone or something. In this case, our city’s biggest newspaper carried an article that called out a priest who served the parish 10 years ago in 2015 and caused “tension” because of his stance on marriage, divorce and human sexuality. It was as if the media was searching for any hints of “hate” or “intolerance” in the church where the shooter had attended. This priest had been at my parish prior and everyone loved his joyful, vibrant embrace of our Catholic faith. He did not cower to the cultural bullhorn but proclaimed Truth with charity.
I listened to his homily last Sunday at the parish where he now serves. [Listen here] It was hopeful, loving, and unafraid in naming the Devil targeting what he hates most – the Church, the Mass and God’s children. He ignored the media attempts to make it into something else, and focused on the bigger issue: Evil exists. God is real. And God can bring good out of any evil. Victory is His in all things.
He spoke of sin and evil that is in all of us, and that the Cross of Christ will always be our hope in every situation. And that with God, we should have no fear in the midst of the spiritual battle. He spoke of his own conversion, when he had to face the truth of who he was as a young 18-year-old college kid, when he went home to mourn with his friends and neighbors in his Texas town where a horrible mass shooting had just taken place. He realized then that he was just a lukewarm Christian, not really a follower of Christ, and he was living a lie. He didn’t look for someone to blame. He looked at himself in truth. It was one good thing that came out of that evil act. He had no idea it would lead him to the priesthood.
I am extremely proud of how our Catholic community has responded to this horrific event. No one is looking for signs of “hate” against Catholics. They’ve just pulled together in prayer and faith and concern for everyone involved, even the shooter. We are all horrified at the extent of this troubled soul and wish he could have gotten the help needed.
As it is, doctors are reporting on the miracles they are seeing in the wounded, that there were not more fatalities given the gunshots to the head and neck areas. Miracles! God is in our midst. He will not allow the deaths of those two kids to be in vain. He will bring good out of the evil. We just need to point people in His direction so they can see His marvelous work.
May we all pray for courage, for the ability to evangelize in truth with charity, to stand firm with the armor of God surrounding us. We need to shine brighter. We need to bring Christ to the world.
Let’s start by doing the First Saturday devotion this weekend and make reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that we can fill the holes in our societies with grace and mercy.
Barb Ernster is the National Coordinator/Communications Manager/Editor for the World Apostolate of Fatima USA.
