What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. (Eccles. 1:9)
In 1999 I wrote an essay prompted by a news report about the shootings at Columbine High School. I posted it here last year as A Day in the Life. Today we had a news report about a shooting in Minneapolis in a Catholic Church with students from the parish school in attendance. Two children, ages eight and ten, were killed. Several others as well as some adults were wounded. The shooter killed himself.
At times like this it is hard not to ask oneself, “What in heaven’s name is going on?” Of course, heaven has nothing to do with this. The more appropriate question to ask is, “What the hell is going on?”
The news people are always trying to find a reason to assign to these events to try and make sense of what happened. One pundit will argue there are too many guns that are too easily available. Another one will say, “We have too many people who have mental issues that should preclude them from having a gun.”
It was reported that the gunman shot the students while at prayer in Mass. In response to this terrible news, many people offered their “thoughts and prayers.”
That did not sit well with everyone.
A former White House Press Secretary posted on X, “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does [sic] not end school shootings. prayers [sic] do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
Raymond Arroyo responded to that comment by saying the prayers may indeed have prevented more injuries and more deaths.
St. Augustine tells us:
“God does not do evil, but does cause that evil should not become the worst” (Soliloquies, 2).
I think what the world needs more than news and political pundits is prayer warriors.
Jeff Cavins posted a reflection on Hallow. He mentioned how some of the older students protected the younger students from the shooter. I saw a young boy on the news talking about what was going on. He said he didn’t know what to do when the shooting started. They had trained for something like this in the classroom but not in church. He said one of the older boys was on top of him and protected him. He said, “he (the older boy) was shot in the back and was in the hospital.”
Those comments from that little boy really struck me. Those “of the world” believe prayers are not enough. Prayer is ineffective. Prayer does not provide solutions. Those who are “in the world but not of the world” hear that story and say, “God was with them.” God gave those older children the grace to risk their lives to protect others. Of course there were reports of teachers and other adults acting to protect the children. That’s expected. That’s what adults should do. But these were children protecting other children. What a witness they provide to the world showing that evil cannot drive the good out of people. God’s grace is stronger than fear caused by evil acts.
Cavins brought up the question, “Where was Jesus?” when this was happening. His answer was, Jesus was with them on His cross. His suffering on the cross includes all sinful acts committed from the dawn of creation until the end of time.
Cavins also said the shooting began during the responsorial psalm. The response, “You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” is taken from Psalm 139. I have prepared a scripture based retreat for my parish to be held in a couple of weeks. The title of the retreat, taken from the last verse of Psalm 139, is Knitted Together in My Mother’s Womb. The theme of the retreat is Hope.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun. Man, left to his own devices, repeats the same sins over and over. What is new and good comes from above the sun, that is, from God. If we follow the admonition, “Enough with the thoughts and prayers” we are condemned to repeat the same sins that we saw in Minneapolis today and twenty-six years ago at Columbine.
We need prayer and we need hope!
Let us pray that those who suffered on this day can take solace with the knowledge God was with them. He did not abandon them.
You beset me behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Let only darkness cover me, and the light about me be night.”
Even the darkness is not dark to you, the night is bright as the day; for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:5-13)
Greg Gillen
August 27, 2025
© 2025 Greg Gillen
Scripture/Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition/Ignatius Press
Image Credit/Annunciation School/AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Jeff Cavins Reflection/Hallow/youtu.be/CCH2u0NF7Lktlit
