The Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 21, 2025
I am writing this column on Monday, September 15. I will celebrate the first Mass of the new school year at Holy Redeemer School this Wednesday, September 17. I can’t help but think of the students, faculty and priest at Annunciation School in Minneapolis where a young person opened fire on that school’s opening Mass. Two children died and others were injured.
In our nation, there have been many school shootings. That’s unimaginable, but it is true. Shocking, every time. I must say that the Annunciation shooting hit me hard because it was a Catholic school, but really, it doesn’t matter. Children are children and no child should die by an assassin’s bullet.
Last week we had an “active shooter” training at Holy Redeemer School. It was well presented by an FBI agent, but it is sad that it is necessary to prepare for such an unthinkable event.
It is appalling that we have become used to news reports of mass deaths. How often do we read that 50 or 100 or more Gazans died in an assault? The total number dead is disputed by Israelis and Palestinians, but no one can deny that many people, tens of thousands of people, have died. Some die when they are in desperate lines seeking food. This war began with a despicable massacre of innocent Israelis and the response has been a despicable massacre of Palestinians. We hear a casualty number and then we shake our heads and click on another news story or turn the page of our newspaper. What can we do?
There are regular slaughters of people in many places. I am not reproaching myself or you for how little impact these killings make. I feel helpless; don’t you?
A week or so ago, there a woman was shot and killed at the 7 Eleven at 12t hand Chestnut Streets, just a few feet from our church. Again, depressing and senseless.
The killing of Charlie Kirk was another sad and despicable murder. I had not heard of him until his shooting. It is true that his political views pleased some and displeased others, but it is horrific that a young father and husband was gunned down in public. Regardless of politics, this death was tragic.
Equally reprehensible was the June 14, 2025 murder of Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home. Ms Hortman was the Democratic speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and she was killed for her liberal political views. The killer went on a rampage and shot three other people, all in the name of God and conservative politics. Human life should be sacred and right or left politics does not change the sacredness of life. Too often politics has become religion and the honor due only to God is now given to one’s political beliefs.
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who “takes away the sins of the world”. Well, there are quite a lot of sins to take away! I still believe that the answer to the world’s sin is Jesus. Jesus was a victim of a bitter execution. He died a violent and unjust death. Yet Jesus taught love and from the cross He forgave his killers.
Are we real disciples or are we disciples until we meet someone with whom we disagree? Are we resolved to love one another as Jesus taught? Do we really try to love people who are different? If we are disciples of Jesus, we must love people whose ideas please us and whose ideas disgust us. Jesus says that the Father loves the good and the bad and that God sends rain on the just and the unjust. Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
I am worried about how violent our world has become and I am worried about how divided we are about political ideas. It is easy to blame “the other side”, but all of us are called by Jesus to a radical love. Please don’t read these words and think that they are meant for someone else. I pledge myself to watch my words and to try to be a Christian who loves and I ask you to make the same commitment.
