You’ve no doubt seen news by now about the shooter in S. Minneapolis (my native place) at Annunciation Church during a morning school Mass. first of the new school year. The killer – “trans” – killed children (8 and 10), injured many, and killed himself.
Pray for the victims and their families, perhaps a chaplet of the Rosary.
One of the most important petitions raised to Heaven by the Church is in the Litany of Saints which is sadly used infrequently.
“A subitanea et improvisa morte… From a sudden and unprovided death, spare us O Lord.”
A sudden death can be a blessing.
A sudden and unprovided death is a horrifying prospect.
Unprovided means no access to the sacraments. No time to make an act of contrition much less make a confession, be absolved or anointed. No Viaticum. No Apostolic Blessing.
We don’t know when our time will be up.
It could be unforeseen. It could be soon.
Say it with me?
GO TO CONFESSION!
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When it is my time, I would love a baseball-sized (or smaller) asteroid to come through our roof (small size, little hole–not much to repair) in the middle of the night when my wife is away visiting her mom or on some business trip of hers. Still, I remain most happy to be here, alive and with her, despite my ever-declining health from specific issues and the unforgiving calendar toll.
And that surprise asteroid would ONLY be a welcome thing since I long ago began and have continued the practice of confession on a regular and frequent basis.
Keep reminding folks.
Two new martyrs…cut down while praying. Requiescat in Pace. May the Lord comfort their families.
I am heartbroken. Yes – get to Confession.
I watched “The Today Show” this morning. They interviewed a 13-year-old boy and his mother, who were both present at the murder. It brought me to tears to listen to the boy explain how he and his friends crawled under the pews and then thought they should do something to help the other kids. They encouraged the rest to hide under the pews, and they offered comfort to the other children. He said, with the help of God, that they knew they had to do the right thing.
When Craig Melvin, the interviewer, asked the mother how she managed, she was grateful simply to be able to hug her son. She them started quietly weeping, and her son put his arm around her to comfort her.
Mr. Melvin, a devout Christian, mentioned that the young boy (Jaden) had been Baptized the week before. Mr. Melvin was clearly moved, and so was I.
Anyone who thinks a good Catholic school and catechism doesn’t matter should think again. We never will know when it is our time, and it is good to be prepared and to know the right thing to do – which includes asking our good God for help.
Chiara, based on your comment, I sought out a video of the interview you cited. Like yourself and Mr. Melvin, I was deeply moved, not just by this tragedy, but by the young man, who has been gifted by those attributes one would wish to see in all young people: empathy, courage, self-awareness, selflessness and the will to act on challenges, especially in times of crisis. That these attributes were so evident in this young man speaks well for his parent(s), education both academic and religious (as you noted, Chiara), and moral foundation gives me confidence that he will excel at whatever he may pursue. May God Bless this young man and his family, as well as all those others who have suffered so greatly from the all-too-many madnesses which seem to plague our world.