A Holy Hour of Reparation

The shock of the Massacre in Orlando this week causes confusion, and CNN et al., make it worse. Forget about the temporal appearance of things, and spiritual reality is more important, and more straightforward: this horrific crime was a desecration of what God loves--His creation made in His image--and a consecration to Satan, the father of lies and a murderer from the beginning.

Neither do I condemn thee. Forget about the alleged faults of the victims. If we think a victim deserves to be murdered then we are guilty of the sin of judging a person's soul. The woman caught in adultery is an apt reminder. "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone." "Has no one condemned thee?" "No one, Lord." "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more."

Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. If I were a victim of such a crime, what would I want? I would want people to pray for me, that, in my dying moments, I might have the grace to repent of any sins before the merciful God, and forgive the murderer. "God wills not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live." God did not abandon any of the victims. Actual graces were available that they might die well. We can still assist in this effort by praying now, for our prayers are outside of time.

A Holy Hour. St. Joseph's will host a Holy Hour on Sunday, June 19th from 1 to 2 pm. We pray for four things: 1) The grace of a Happy Death for the victims, 2) the consolation of the bereaved, 3) reparation for the evil, and 4) protection against future attacks.

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