Lost Innocents

"You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; 

you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving. 

This people's heart has become calloused; 

they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes." 

--the Prophet Isaiah 6:9, 10

Sad day in northeast Ohio Monday. In the peaceful community of Chardon, gently nestled in the farmlands of Amish country, innocence was lost. A young man entered the school cafeteria with a hand gun. End result: Five shot, one fatally. And now, today, we learn another child has died.

The troubled young man had "tweeted" his intention to "do something with a gun," and no one-- not a single person who read that tweet believed it could happen.

People jump to lay blame. We need more metal detectors. We need tighter security. We need better gun control-- or we need to have more concealed weapons. His parents-- what's wrong with them, anyway. And the teachers, and the schools-- problems piled on problems, and no real solutions.

It is so much more than a gun control issue or a security issue. Those things may be a start, but if one has no sense of belonging, desperation and longing can give rise to extreme resourcefulness, and not in a good way.

Just as a terrorist will glide through airport security if he is motivated enough, so, too, will a desperate child find a way to eke out the destruction or revenge if he is hurting deeply enough.

To the child who has cried out in desperation and been ignored-- I am sorry. I thought "my business" was more important. Please-- cry out again. And keep crying until someone hears-- but please, do not harm yourself and do not harm another. You are loved. And you are not alone.

To the parent whose child has "changed"-- ask. Ask in love. Listen. And if it hurts too badly to listen-- call someone. Call a friend, call a teacher-- call a pastor. You are loved. And you are not alone.

To the teacher whose class just seems to keep growing bigger and bigger, who feels overwhelmed by circumstance but keeps on teaching-- thank you. Thank you for being a safe, trusted adult in our children's lives. You are loved. And you are not alone.

To "the village" where our children grow up-- these children belong to all of us. We are never alone. And we-- are love. 

We are the smile, the loving touch, the caring ear when the child thinks his world is crashing down. 

We are here. Next door or halfway around the world, down the hall or down the street. We are here to listen, to love-- to give you a break.

* * *

This whole event seems darker, more somber in the shadow of the Cross, as we wander the road to Golgotha. God so loved the world-- the whole world that he came clothed in humanity, took on the sin of the world and died in our stead. 

And all he expects in return is that we love and honor God, and love and honor each other.

We are never alone. And we are loved. More beloved than we can ever imagine.

Merciful God,

our maker and our judge,

we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed:

we have not loved you with our whole heart,

we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves:

we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.

Father, forgive us.

Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

                                                                                                                 --From an Australian Prayer Book