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Is the time finally at hand to curb gun violence?

13 Jan 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“The people were filled with expectation,” we hear in the gospel for this Sunday’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. With suspect James Holmes on trial for the July massacre at a suburban Denver movie theater and President Barack Obama’s promise in the wake of the December shootings at a Connecticut elementary school to introduce significant initiatives on gun violence this month, expectations are high the issue will finally be addressed.Prosecutors on Monday began laying out evidence against Holmes, while a series of Aurora, Colorado police officers, detectives, and forensics experts provided gripping and often emotional testimony about the mayhem they encountered at the movie theater where Holmes is alleged to have killed 12 and wounded 57.Meanwhile on Tuesday former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly opened a national initiative aimed at curbing gun-related bloodshed, on the second anniversary of the shooting that killed six people and left her critically injured. They promised to “launch a national dialogue and raise funds to counter influence of the gun lobby.” Last week the couple visited Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire last month at Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and six adults. They also met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a gun-control advocate.“In response to a horrific series of shootings that has sown terror in our communities, victimized tens of thousands of Americans, and left one of its own bleeding and near death in a Tucson parking lot, Congress has done something quite extraordinary—nothing at all,” the pair wrote in an editorial Tuesday.Vice President Joe Biden said on Wednesday the White House is determined to act quickly to restrain gun mayhem and will explore all avenues—including executive orders that would not require approval by Congress—to try to prevent incidents like last month's massacre at in Connecticut.Kicking off a series of meetings on gun violence, Biden said the administration would work with gun-control advocates and gun-rights supporters to build a consensus on restrictions, but he made it clear that President Obama is prepared to act on his own if necessary."We are not going to get caught up in the notion that unless we can do everything, we're going to do nothing. It's critically important that we act," said Biden, who meets Thursday with pro-gun groups including the National Rifle Association, which claims 4 million members and is the gun lobby's most powerful organization.Homily hint: Gun regulation is one of the hottest of the “hot button issues” that seem to have paralyzed our public discourse and ability to come together as a nation to solve our problems. Perhaps this timely topic can be raised in conjunction with the theme raised in the next article, that of civil discourse. God has given us all the tools we need to build a better world, but we have to cooperate in order to get the job done. Sources: Articles by Gary Strauss for USA TODAY, Alistair Jamieson and BeckBratu for NBC News, and John Whitesides and Mark Felsnthal for Reuters

gun control congress joe biden gabrielle giffords shootings mark kelly james holmes sandy hook elementary school gun violence

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A national tragedy generates an outpouring of kindness

19 Jun 2016 - Preaching the News for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

The first reading this Sunday speaks of a time of great mourning in Jerusalem, but a time as well of grace and petition, a time, says the psalmist, for kindness. As the nation reels from the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, an outpouring of kindness in response to the tragedy in Orlando gives reason to hope that love indeed can triumph over evil. Just hours after the attack on the Pulse nightclub early Sunday morning, there was an outpouring of kindness across Orlando and nationwide. People stood in solidarity at vigils, of which there were many, and, in a powerful show of support, more than 5,300 people donated blood through the OneBlood network on Sunday—a single-day record. Among those donating blood was Muslim-American Mahmoud El Awadi, who did so while fasting for Ramadan. "Our blood all looks the same," he said. In a viral Facebook post El Awadi explained how watching "thousands of people standing in 92 degree [heat]" moved him, and showed how Americans can unite to combat, in president Obama's words, "an act of hate." El Awadi said the lines were full of Americans from all backgrounds, including veterans, Muslim women wearing hijabs, and even children, who came to offer food, water, juice, umbrellas, and sunblock, These selfless acts of kindness are why El Awadi considers America the "greatest nation on Earth." In support of those seeking food and shelter, Sikhs in Orlando opened two temples to anyone who needed it. Sikhs have often borne the backlash after any attack carried out by a radical Muslim. (They're often mistaken for Muslims because of their turban.) A GoFundMe fundraising effort for the loved ones of shooting victims had raised more than $4 million by midweek. “We began with a goal of $100,000, and within three days, have raised nearly $4.5 million from over 95,000 contributors from across the world,” said the organizers. “The outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming, and will directly support the victims’ families and survivors of this hate crime.” The national healthcare community has responded with an outpouring of support for the victims and first responders. "The world's response to this has been incredible," said Joseph Ibrahim, M.D., trauma medical director at Orlando (Fla.) Regional Medical Center, the hospital that has treated the victims. And even something as simple as a plane flight can become an opportunity for kindness and solidarity. The grandmother of one victim traveling alone to Orlando to attend the funeral of her grandson was overwhelmed by an outpouring of support from those on the flight with her. Dancer Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20, was one of the youngest of the 49 victims killed at the popular gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday. Knowing the grieving grandmother was traveling alone Tuesday, JetBlue employees “made sure to be at her side every step of the way,” flight attendant Kelly Davis Karas wrote on Facebook. Fellow passengers wrote notes of condolences, some even enclosing money. As the passengers left the plane, they each left Ocasio-Capo’s grandmother with another act of kindness. “Every single person stopped to offer her their condolences,” Karas wrote in her Facebook post. “I am moved to tears yet again as I struggle to put our experience into words. In spite of a few hateful, broken human beings in this world . . . people ARE kind. People DO care. And through our customers’ humanity today, and through the generosity of this wonderful company I am so grateful to work for, I am hopeful that someday soon we can rally together to make the world a safer place for all.” Lessons drawn from the readings In the Sunday gospel, Jesus speaks of having to “suffer greatly and be rejected . . . and be killed” and then adds that “whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” The GLBT community targeted by the Orlando shooter knows a thing or two about suffering and rejection, including at the hands of religious leaders of many traditions. If the massacre at the Orlando gay nightclub can have a redemptive outcome, in terms of greater social acceptance and solidarity across lifestyles and belief systems, then the victims of the tragic shooting will not have died in vain. Final thought in light of the news Art Markman, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, says that feelings stirred up after Orlando are similar to ones many Americans felt for the people of France in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings. Instead of defining ourselves in a million unique and different ways, in times of crisis, tragedy simply makes us human. And small moments of humanity and kindness restore our faith in the people around us, says Karla Ivankovich, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois, Springfield. “There is so much death and mayhem that people are searching for hope—and that means we have to be a part of the solution, not the problem,” Ivankovich says.

gun violence orlando mass shooting kindness Hope charitable giving

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Take Five for Faith Daily

Wednesday
January 15

What the cross puts into perspective

The image of the crucified Christ signifies not what he can do for us, but what he actually did for us. His willingness to enter into our suffering reveals that God’s love is always present. Reflect on the immense suffering Christ bore across time and across the world. As Saint Rose of Lima observed, “No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed.” Pray for relief for your own suffering and, in turn, extend mercy to others so that they may experience Christ’s compassion through you.

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