In The Wake Of This Tragedy

[PhuturePriest]

Well good for he and his wife. Something tells me they are in the vast minority in being so perfect and balanced in their grief.

 

His exact words were "You never get over it." He said after the first two or three years the sting lessens, but it never leaves. He will always be in pain about it. But if people would stop being bitter and hateful, they would be happier. Being bitter and hateful leads to more violence. Hate can only breed hate.

[theculturewarrior]

I have nothing more to say about this.  There is nothing wrong with feeling angry and outraged.  I get that.  If you hate Adam Lanza and you want him to burn in hell, I understand that and I do not question it.  I am not asking anyone to join me in praying the Office of the Dead for him.  I am going to grieve for the loss of one of my own.  My disability has made very easy for me to look at anyone and say there but for the grace of God go I.  I do understand how all of you feel and how upsetting it must to hear me say this.  I am going to grieve for him, and to pray for him.  To me that seems the Christian thing to do.

Edited December 15, 2012 by theculturewarrior

[Guest]

With that said though I know how important it is to go to mass...So that's not my goal to attack that....But give me a break with feeling sorry for this bastard who shot murdered children at a school...Really screw this bastard...The church has said over and over how many people will pry end up in hell...and were told we can go to hell for simply masturbating or missing mass and not making confession before we die...I mean if that's how it is cool...I'm alright with that and i'll fear God and go to mass and confession...but save me the pity partys for bastards like this and bastards like hitler and act as if God wmight forgive them...because if that's the case then the sending people to hell for missing mass or masturbating doesn't add up...you nolonger have a just and fair god...

Edited December 15, 2012 by Guest

[r2Dtoo]

if you can think of it, you are capable of it. And that is terrifying. It should be terrifying.

 

This.

[Basilisa Marie]

I thought one had to repent. How could of this guy repented ? I know God and I know he's just. I just find it amazing when people want to make him out to be a victim. Give me a break. If hell is real and people go there then this guy better be there. Along with hitler and evil men like him. I want to take the catholic faith serious but I find it odd when its seemed as if people like these have a good shot at mercy but the church wants to threaten me with hell if I miss mass or masturbate. Seems really odd.

 

There's nothing wrong with feeling anger and outrage at the guy who did this.  But we can't ever know for sure if anyone is in Hell, nor should we encourage others to hope that someone is in Hell.  Even Hitler.  We don't know what is going on in a person's mind right before they die (which is why the Church no longer condemns victims of suicide, for example).  Instead, we can hope that God's justice be done, whatever that may be.  And we can pray for the victims of terrible things like what happened today.  

 

I think I like to point out that even these people have "a shot at mercy" like you said because the instinct is to want to condemn them to Hell.  The Church emphasizes the seriousness of other sins because we usually belittle them (It's not really about missing mass, it's about putting God first in your life, etc).  

[PhuturePriest]

I thought one had to repent. How could of this guy repented ? I know God and I know he's just. I just find it amazing when people want to make him out to be a victim. Give me a break. If hell is real and people go there then this guy better be there. Along with hitler and evil men like him. I want to take the catholic faith serious but I find it odd when its seemed as if people like these have a good shot at mercy but the church wants to threaten me with hell if I miss mass or masturbate. Seems really odd.

 

How could he have had full culpability in order to commit a mortal sin? In order for a mortal sin three things are necessary: Full consent, full knowledge, and it must be grave matter. We have grave matter down most certainly, but the other two are pending. This guy wasn't thinking right. He is suspected to have a plethora of mental problems, such as autism, being a sociopath, and having asperger syndrome. With these in mind, he didn't have full consent of what he was doing, and he didn't have full knowledge. He didn't have empathy, and that isn't his fault. I'm not excusing what he did by any means. What he did was wrong and it has to be one of the most evil acts I have ever heard of. But he can still be forgiven by God, especially if he didn't meet the criteria for Mortal sin. In fact, according to the Church even if he didn't have these things and knew exactly what he was doing, he still could have been forgiven. In those last moments, he could have sincerely told God he was sorry and felt remorse for what he did. We can't think of sin in black and white situations. We don't know his mind at the time, and therefore cannot make a judgement. That's why we cannot make a judgement about anybody. That is God's job, for only he knows everything about the situation.

 

And I'm with Basilisa Marie. It is okay and in fact good to feel outrage and anger. There is such a thing as just anger, and this is certainly one of those cases where it is used. Emotions are running high, so it's really not the time to make statements. Talking about our feelings is good, but when it is something as sensitive as this and we know others will disagree and be greatly offended, it is best to not say anything until people start coping with the situation.

Edited December 15, 2012 by FuturePriest387

[Basilisa Marie]

In a case like this, people want to assume it was mental illness. Me too. It is a pretty common reaction. The reason for that, I believe, is that we do not want to accept that we are capable of such evil actions.

But if you can think of it, you are capable of it. And that is terrifying. It should be terrifying.

 

Agreed.

[Guest]

Alright I'm not gonna argue...I see what you are saying...I love everyone at phatmass....goodnight....what a sad day...Godbless

[Guest]

It does seem though more and more now a days I hear from catholics that there is this possibilty that all may be saved...I'm not even against that really...I don't wish for any1 to suffer in hell for eternity...its just hard to wrap my mind around though...because it just makes me wonder why Jesus had to die...why didnt God just forgive everyone 1 and destroy the devil a long time ago...why drag this mess out...I mean if people like hitler end up in heaven in the end then this all really starts to seem like one really sick game.....at any rate God is good in my mind and heart...I really believe that....I love Him and all you guys too....Godbless and goodnight...

Edited December 15, 2012 by Guest

[Nihil Obstat]

why didnt God just forgive everyone 1 and destroy the devil a long time ago...

 

Everyone is forgiven. All that is required is an acceptance of that forgiveness. Pretty minimal requirement, really. And Satan's power was broken on Cavalry. He has already lost.

[kujo]

Everyone is forgiven. All that is required is an acceptance of that forgiveness. Pretty minimal requirement, really. And Satan's power was broken on Cavalry. He has already lost.

 

 

Really easy to take the longview when it wasn't your 6 year old whose brains were splattered on the walls of the art classroom.

[Nihil Obstat]

Really easy to take the longview when it wasn't your 6 year old whose brains were splattered on the walls of the art classroom.

 

It sure is. But that does not make it false.

[Guest]

So is your view one may have a choice after death to repent ? Like this guy could be asked by God after he killed himself if he wants to repent ? I was always under the impression it had to be while one was still alive.

[Nihil Obstat]

So is your view one may have a choice after death to repent ? Like this guy could be asked by God after he killed himself if he wants to repent ? I was always under the impression it had to be while one was still alive.

 

The choice must be made while one is alive. I do not think I implied otherwise.

[BigJon16]

Just my thoughts on today's events: Not meant to dispute anything anyone has already said :)

 

 

It's days like today that we must remember a message that should be repeated every day: The message of the Gospel, that death does not win the day. Ever. Sorrow, suffering and pain do not get the last laugh in life. Death is dead.

 

Why? For unto us, a Child is born.

 

 

"To many, the Cross would seem as a defeat. This is what Despair says, that death is the end, that darkness is supreme. But if the Cross was a defeat, then why is it our Only Hope? If death is the end, then why are Christ’s final words on the cross not the final words of the Gospels?"

 

"To regard the pain of the cross and the Crucifixion as the “end of the story” is to completely miss the point of the story: that pain and sorrow and death will always give way to joy, peace, and life; that death is conquered by love. "

 

 

These are all ideas that come to my mind.

 

 

"God is Love. We eventually have to ask ourselves the question; why was Love nailed to a cross?" Bl. John Paul II

 

This is a quote that comes to mind.

 

 

 

But I know that the sorrow that I feel 250 miles away is absolutely NOTHING compared to the sorrow and pain felt by those directly effected. And there is not a thing that I could say to make things any better.

 

 

All I can do is hope. It's all that I have left.

 

 

Praying for all afflicted by grief this weekend, especially my Pastor, who's mother passed away, and my own family who is preparing to lose our great matriarch. But above all, for those in Connecticut.

 

"Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord..."