Brothers and sisters,
I am beyond exhausted. I am grieving, frustrated, and yes, angry. A school Mass, supposed to be a beacon of faith and hope, was shattered this past Wednesday at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Two children, ages 8 and 10, were murdered in their pews during the first Mass of the school year. Seventeen more were wounded. Two were elderly parishioners. Our sanctuary was violated. This isn’t just tragic, it is unconscionable.
From the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV sent his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all affected, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child, and imparted his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of peace, fortitude, and consolation in the Lord Jesus.
We read this and our hearts ache, but what else will we do? What will we do?
There Is No “Justifiable” Idol in This Reality
As Catholics, we are called to sacrificial love, not selfish defense. Christ invites us to deny ourselves and pick up a Cross, not a weapon. Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24).
The myth of the “good guy with a gun” is exactly that, a myth. It is not Gospel, it is not fact, and it is not moral. Research shows over and over that having a gun in your home increases the likelihood of one of your family members being shot. Guns do not make you safer. They do not protect your children. They expose them to greater danger.
When we elevate that myth above the sanctity of our children, we have crossed from prudence into idolatry.
Gun Worship Is Idolatry
God’s command could not be clearer: You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3). But guns have become our gods. We worship at the altar of the Second Amendment, even when every demonstration of that faith bleeds into our pews and playgrounds.
Faith demands more. It demands that we lay down weapons of hurt, even those we have convinced ourselves are righteous, to take up the Cross of Christ.
A Path Toward Real Action
We cannot continue to comfort ourselves with pious speeches while children are being buried. Enough. We choose life. We choose love. We choose the little ones in those pews. As Archbishop Hebda said, we need an end to gun violence. Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent. They are far too commonplace.
A Prayer for an End to Gun Violence
Lord Jesus Christ,
Prince of Peace, Redeemer of the innocent,
We come to you broken, burdened, and afraid.
Hold in your gentle arms the families who have lost children in violence.
Bring healing to the wounded, in body and in spirit.
Comfort those who stand watch where horror was once trusted.
Move our hearts to act, not with fear, but with courage.
Lead us to dismantle the idols of fear and power.
Help us instead to build a society where “Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven” is more than a prayer.
May we uphold life, love, and the Gospel over all else.
Amen.
A Clear and Necessary Call to Action
If this strikes your soul, then hear me plainly: do not remain silent. Share this message where you can. Talk about it in your parishes, your schools, your families, and your communities. Call your state and federal representatives. Preach it in your pulpits. Teach it to your children. Our silence is our complicity.
Let us be sacrificial, not selfish. Let us choose lives over twisted logic built on fear. Let us dismantle the idols we have enshrined in the name of rights.
I invite you to subscribe to Message from the Margins. Beginning September 2, our Premium Tier will launch, offering reflections, courses, resources, and community spaces for those committed to living this radical Gospel call. Because loving our neighbor means sometimes letting go of our own comforts for their sake. Let’s do this together.