While a Nation Grieves

It has happened.  Again.  Another troubled person has taken out their pain on others, leaving behind distraught teachers, parents, friends.  There is yet another community trying to sort out the reasons and work through the agony of a loss beyond comprehension.  It will never make sense.  There will always be more questions than answers.  A tragedy of indescribable proportions leaves a deep wound.

I have heard those in the news media trying to give their own insights.  Some are wondering why it is that "only" 10 were killed and there is an uproar, when over 300 people have been killed in Chicago in 2015, and we hear little about it?

Why was a 5-month old baby killed yesterday, as the car she was in was hit by bullets meant for others?  She is one of several victims in a series of shootings in Cleveland. It only proves that the size of a town or city does not cause or prevent violence.

My question is, "Why isn't there outrage at every...single...violent...death?"

I won't pretend to have the answers.  Because, honestly, there isn't a simple one.  No matter how much it's analyzed and discussed, investigated and examined, the truth is, we will never know all the "why's" of such brutality.  Why is it that we live in a world that sees life of so little consequence that shooting others is a commonplace way of expending our rage?  Why is it that babies are aborted every day by the hands of medical professionals who were sworn to save lives, not take them?

(Some have said that legalizing abortion made an improvement in our society.  I can't even begin to see any reasoning for that.  How can killing innocents ever improve anything?  Safe abortions are still abortions.)

Some would say the answer is more gun control.  Statistically, though, that doesn't pan out.  Chicago and New York City have some of the tightest laws on gun ownership, yet still have very high rates of shootings per capita.  So to this I say, what we might need are more ways to keep guns away from criminals.  I don't know the answer, though.  I don't claim to know how that can be done.

Some would say the answer is more security in schools.  Well, that might help with school shootings.  But what about the streets?  What about businesses where an irate employee returns to take revenge?  There are not enough security guards to place in every business in every town on every street of the country.

Some would say we need less prescriptions for mental health and more counseling.  That also might help.  I don't know much on this topic.  I do know that the old days of simply institutionalizing anyone with mental issues are a thing of the past, and that great strides have been made in understanding the human psyche.  How to deal with all the current issues, I have no idea.

This I do know.  The more we separate people from the Church, and foster hatred for anything the Church stands for/against, the more we will see these types of things happen.  I do know that millions of people across the centuries have found hope in Christ, when all hope seemed lost.  I do know that the Church provides a place of refuge for the lost, lonely, and downtrodden.  I do know there are many amazing and wonderful Church-provided ministries that help those with depression and other mental issues.  I know that our nation needs to return to trusting in the Creator of all and following in His ways.

I do know that we need to pray for our nation.  This I know.