A Nation In Mourning Once Again

“If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it…”

(1 Corinthians 12:26)

It pains us tremendously to refer to a massacre once again. The personification of evil results in such heinous acts of violence that have become almost routine and ordinary in modern-day American society.

It sickens us to hear endless debates after such horror ensues. We have grown tiresome of nothing being accomplished. We must understand that as a society, these routine occurrences of evil   have desensitized not only us adults but more frighteningly so, our children to violence.

A question arises – How is it that we are able to protect the banks but not schools? Where are our priorities? What is the value of human life and more so, how much spending is too “excessive” to prevent the loss of a child’s life?

As a man of the cloth, I pray for world peace fervently. During the Divine Liturgy, when we turn to Christ’s flock and greet them with the words “Peace Onto All.” (Khaghaghootyoon Amenetsoon) we do it in the presence of the Holy Trinity. We have inherited God’s commandment to love, to pray, to strive for perfection.  

Instead of digging into the root of the problem, the absence of God in society, we take the cautious approach to adapt to the present lifestyle. Companies are manufacturing bulletproof backpacks for children. Is this a solution? A temporary one, perhaps. Our society has turned away from God.

It is after such occurrences that we hold candle-light vigils, we weep, we mourn and we wait. We wait for the next tragedy.   

Meanwhile, we must do some soul searching. In this period of tremendous pain, I pray with you. I pray alongside you. I pray for the families who grieve and mourn.

Lastly, I pray for our leaders to act.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian

Primate