We awaken to yet more tidings of sorrow. Within the space of but a single day, five mass shootings have torn through the heart of the United States. The land groans beneath the weight of grief. Families are left in anguish, communities stand bewildered, and souls are wounded in ways that cannot be measured by human reckoning.
This is not a matter of politics, nor of fleeting debate, but of the tragic reality of evil that has taken root in our midst. We see here the work of the adversary, who delights in chaos, destruction, and despair. We see also the brokenness of the human condition, the unhealed wounds of minds afflicted by illness, and hearts hardened by violence. The darkness is great, yet it is not greater than God.
We must speak plainly on this matter. Satan prowls like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And yet, our hope is not in ourselves, nor in earthly powers, but in the Lord who conquers death by death. Only Jesus Christ can heal the heart, restore the mind, and banish the terror of the night.
Therefore, let us bow the knee in prayer. Let us entreat the mercy of our Lord upon the departed, that they may find rest in His light. Let us plead for consolation upon the grieving, strength upon the weak, and wisdom upon those charged with safeguarding the vulnerable. And let us also examine ourselves. For each of us is called to be a bearer of peace, a vessel of compassion, a watchman against the encroaching shadow.
Now is the time for repentance, for returning to the Lord with all our heart. Now is the time to lift our voices in lamentation and yet in hope, knowing that even in the valley of the shadow of death, the Shepherd walks with His flock.
May the Lord grant peace to this troubled land, turn hearts from violence, and raise up His people in holiness. Let us hold fast to Him, for He alone is our refuge and our salvation.
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! … The Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.” — Isaiah 5:20, 16 (Septuagint)
In the love of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Fr. Charles
29 September 2025
Comments are closed.