Mass Shootings versus “The Culture of Life”

Mass Shootings versus “The Culture of Life”

It’s become a weekly, sometimes daily occurrence.  Mass murderers stalk the land. 11 killed in Pittsburgh, 58 killed in Las Vegas, 17 killed in a Florida school and recently 22 killed in El Paso, 9 killed in Dayton and 6 policemen shot in Philadelphia.  Additionally, several cities have murder rates approaching 200 killed with four months still left before years end.  What are the causes of this carnage?

Some say racist nationalism is the cause.  Others say high-powered guns are to blame.  Still others say its rampant mental illness that is the culprit.  While all of these factors are important pieces of our morally depraved mosaic, I want to add a piece of the puzzle that’s rarely seen or mentioned.   While  visiting New Orleans, La. over 25 years ago , Mother Teresa (now St. Teresa) was asked by a reporter from a Catholic radio station what she thought about all the violent crime that was plaguing our country at that time.  She said : “If you are not even safe in your mother’s womb, how can you expect to be safe in public places?”  A simple but profound observation!

How, why did our society become so indifferent to the sanctity of life ?  Infanticide was once unthinkable! Now the unthinkable is acceptable, expected, tolerated and in some circles, celebrated under the banner “the right to choose.”  Mass murders which are taking place with consistent regularity as of late, were also, aside from war, unthinkable.  We have sown the wind and now are reaping the whirlwind !

John Paul II described western society as a “culture of death” In Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life) he says that abortion and euthanasia are both a disturbing symptom and a significant cause of grave moral decline.”

“Human life is sacred, Pope John XXIII recalled,” from its very inception it directly involves the creative action God.”  (Humane Vitae).

As Knights of Columbus we fight for the “ culture of life “  ‘a way of life based upon the belief that all human life, at all its stages, from conception to natural death is sacred.’

The fifth commandment says: “ Thou shall not kill” its as simple as that!  St. Paul states: “ the wages of sin is death” (Romans:6:23).  No amount of gun legislation, background checks or legal remedies will totally end this crisis and the one and the ones to come if we do not understand and change the fundamental reasons for this present day sadness’s which is based on a futile quest of looking for peace and safety without God and the love for our fellow man.

GLORY BE TO FATHER And THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT !

Wendell JeanPierre, Lecture

Ref:

• Mother Teresa (now ST. Teresa) interview with Mary-Lou McCall circa 1991
• John Paul II:  “Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life)
• John Paul XXIII:  “Humane Vitae” ( Human Life)
• St. Paul: “Letter to the Romans” 6:23