Sick Sad World

Last night people went to a midnight showing for the new Batman movie - The Dark Night Rises. According to eye-witnesses a man left the theater through the emergency exit and returned armed. He tossed some sort of tear gas and opened fire. This was the first and only story I saw on the Today show. I am saddened for the world we live in. I hope the general public spends more time praying for the families and individuals than spewing hate towards the man responsible. In fact, we should also be praying for him. Should he be punished for his crimes? ABSOLUTELY! But we shouldn't forget that we are called to love on our brothers and sisters. My prayer is that the families get the help and treatments they need. That the family of the shooter do the same. That in time, all involved are able to forgive and while I have no delusions that it will be easy, that they are able to move forward and live as normal a life as possible. What do I mean? That these people return to a theater again, that the images eventually fade away. That this nightmare ends for them at some point. Where is that point? I have no idea. But I do know that we serve a wonderful God who can help these people move forward. Not forgetting about the past but moving towards a future that for many of them still exists.

I'm just so sad. I don't know any of these people but my heart hurts for them. It really hurts...