Over at Facebook, I noticed a picture of Kermit and Miss Piggy marrying, with a caption about Chick-fil-A*. I can’t seem to find it, now — perhaps the person who posted it deleted it. I confess, haven’t been following this story at all. But after the Muppets picture, I saw someone ranting about Chick-fil-A being denied business licenses because they were “against gay marriage.” At that point, I posted to Facebook, “Whether these Chick-fil-A people support gay marriage or not,... Read more
Earlier today, while linking to a sermon full of truth and victory, I also linked to this story in the WSJ, which contained a passage that more than a few people found creepy: Mr. Rotkovich called Mr. Holmes to set up an orientation time, and heard an “incoherent, bizarre” voice-mail message, which he described as “very guttural.” “There was all kinds of low groaning in the middle,” Mr. Rotkovich said. He called twice more and left three messages. The range... Read more
A friend of mine sent me this piece from the WSJ on the “rapid descent” of the Aurora shooter, pointing to one paragraph, in particular: On June 25, the Lead Valley Range received Mr. Holmes’ online application with answers to basic questions about age, gun ownership and drug use; all seemed normal, said range owner Glenn Rotkovich. Mr. Rotkovich called Mr. Holmes to set up an orientation time, and heard an “incoherent, bizarre” voice-mail message, which he described as “very... Read more
A remarkable take-back of power: Within just a few short hours of surgery on his foot Monday, Aurora, CO shooting victim, Pierce O’Farrill tells nationally-syndicated radio host, Todd Schnitt, that he wants to talk to the shooter, James Holmes. In the exclusive “Schnitt Show” interview, O’Farrill, who was shot three times, recalls the horror in vivid detail and says,“I would like to talk to him. I do forgive him.” Mr. O’Farrill is in better shape than other victims, but this... Read more
We all know his name, but I prefer not to use it in a public forum, mostly because his name should not be better known than the names of his victims. I will use it, though, in private prayer. Social media is abuzz that the shooter is in court being arraigned. People are looking at the images and using words like “catatonic”, “evil”, “empty”, “scared”. I think he looks lost. Lost boy, lost soul. Knowing nothing at all about him,... Read more
Don’t know much about Ramadan? Well, join the club, but I became more interested in Islam’s holiest month after reading this award-winning essay from ONE Magazine, which is put out by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. On the surface, Ramadan resembles Christian Lent. It differs, however, in several fundamental ways. Perhaps the most apparent difference is that after breaking the fast at nightfall, Muslims celebrate and often feast. During the first weeks of the month, there are especially festive... Read more
Since we do like our nun news around these parts, I posted this story of a Franciscan sister before retiring last night; a nice positive close to a busy day. And then of course, we awoke this morning to the dreadful news from Colorado; for most of us, it’s been on our minds and hearts all day. So, I am offering something nunly again, this evening. Call it a palate cleanser, or just something joyful to focus on for a... Read more
Jack Shafer with a thoughtful piece: . . . attempts at pattern recognition are as inevitable as they are necessary. Philosophers may be capable of throwing the null set at a suburban bloodbath. For the rest of us, attempts at finding causation – however tenuous – helps settle the mind. The shooter did it because he was crazy, we say. He did it because he was evil. He did it because we (or somebody else) made him that way. He... Read more
Via How overly-enthralled we are becoming to our ideological tribes? Enough, perhaps, to wonder if our too-passionate engagement with ideas is poisoning our communal well, and robbing us of our humanity. At a moment when we should be united as a people responding to evil in our midst — and a mass murder is not a “tragedy”, it is evil on legs — it’s disheartening to realize that while the dead were not yet cold, the injured were still dying... Read more
Praying for Aurora: Have mercy on them O Lord, and make them welcome into your company; in your kindness console hearts broken; bind up the wounds inflicted upon our bodies, minds and spirits, for you are the Source of all healing and all love. On the cross, you showed mercy; let your example become alive to us in these days of heavy grief, that our pain may not be fed and grown on the poison of suspicion, exploitation, and vengeance... Read more
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