I like to think that there are some things so terrible that no one would even imagine them, let alone do them, and then we have something like this occur and my pleasing illusion goes out the window:
The incident sent crying children spilling into the school parking lot as frightened parents waited for word on their loved ones.
In the face of such monstrous evil, the proper response is to pray:
All hail, O holy Queen, Mother exceeding merciful; Life’s spring, sweet comfort, our Hope-bearer, all hail. To thee our plaint we lift, children of Eve yet in exile. To thee our aspiring, and longing and weeping, lift we from this vale of sorrow. Ah then, Mary, be our intercessor; hither vouchsafe to turn thine eyes compassionate, and look upon us. And Jesus, blessed offspring of thy womb, O Mother, show thou to us when earthly exile endeth. O gentle, O loving, O gracious Virgin Mary!
Words fail me. My prayers for the poor kids murdered, their parents and the adults murdered and their families.
Pater noster qui es in coelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum;
adveniat regnum tuum,
fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in coelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
et ne nos inducas in tentationem
sed libera nos a malo.
Amen.
Prayers for all involved, and especially for those parents who lost their greatest treasures today. Good Christ, save us.
Today, children are unable to enjoy being children, as their lives are so regulated to fear other people and their government with its own bad behavior.
I cannot imagine how these little ones will grow being told to go on with no firm, plain foundation – such as trusting God loves them and that He is there for every real prayer. What kind of mark or sense will grow? Moving on doesn’t make it go away reasonably.
In the 1950’s and 1960’s, children fearing people around them was uncommon. There was fear of the cold war and certain governments in common, with the solace of school mornings beginning with the Pledge, singing “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” and praying The Lord’s Prayer. I am thankful, in retrospect.
Who could describe, even in words set free
Of meter and rhyme and a thousand times retold,
The blood and wounds that were shown to me!
At grief so deep the tongue must wag in vain,
The language of our sense and memory
Lacks the vocabulary of such pain.
Dante, The Inferno, Canto XXVIII, Circle 8, Pit 9.
At 8 am. Mass this morning, a friend of mine who is an American from Pittsburg offered this event in the Prayers of the faithful – I didn’t know what he was talking about till now.
May our Great and Merciful Redeemer have mercy on them.
I’m not a Catholic, but like reading your posts. I’ve been told Catholics don’t pray to Mary, they venerate her. But your prayer sounds like it is straight to Mary. I believe we should seek the LORD, our Heavenly Father, in prayer and not any human being as this is idolatry according to scripture.
Marko, do you have any sense at all? This is a post about a calamity involving the murder of 20 kids and you want to start a fight about the veneration that Catholics give to the Mother of God? I am placing you on moderation.
Marko, the rest of the people on this blog can’t reply to you, because we only speak directly to Christ and not to any of our mere brothers and sisters in Christ. Because that would be talking to somebody besides God.
I’m the designated idol-speaker, so I can address you like you exist and everything. People forward all their phone calls to me at the special Catholic call center, and I also answer posts on the Internet.
Heh, not really… but that’s what you’re telling us to do. Mary’s our mother and sister and neighbor, and we do address her. She’s as alive as any of us, and as open to being asked for prayers and help. Ignoring her would be weird and rude.
@6:40pm – “…like it is straight to Mary ”
Think about Hope-bearer, intercessor.
Today, oddly enough, is Friday – the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
In a very real sense, we have seen Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane today, praying that if it were possible, let this cup be removed, yet not as we will, but the Father’s be done.
In a very real sense, we have seen Jesus beaten and whipped and tortured today in blood.
In a very real sense, we have seen that crown of thorns thrust on Jesus head today, with Him standing in a purple robe before cries of “Crucifige Eum! Crucifige Eum!”
In a very real sense, we have seen Jesus carry His Cross to Golgotha today.
And In a very real sense, we have seen Jesus crucified today.
Everytime man commits evil, that evil is the nails which pierce His hands and His legs. That evil is the spear thrust into His side.
“Even as ye do unto the least of these, ye do it unto me.”
I have already prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries twice. I feel horrible, but it is all that I can offer up. Maybe a third time is in order.
Yes, we pray for these who died today: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.”
We especially mourn for the children, their lives cut off, their future nil.
But who mourns for the 4,000 children who die today, pulled piece-by-piece from their mothers’ wombs? Shall we pray for them as well?
“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of ALL the faithful departed, through Your mercy, rest in peace.”
Amen.
1 Corinthians 13:13:
“And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”
“Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ. Amen.”
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
That never was it known that anyone who
Fled to your protection,
Implored your help,
Or sought your intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
I fly to you
O Virgin of Virgins, my mother.
To you do you I come.
Before you I stand sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Despise not my petitions.
But, in your mercy
Hear and answer me. Amen.
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