Yesterday's shooting at a Texas church is the third mass casualty event in just over a month. Such tragedies call forth our prayers to God who, in Christ, graciously promises to hear us. And so let us pray! Let us remember all who died, all who suffer loss, and those who respond in the aftermath. This is the work of the church which is Salt and Light to the world. May God guard them from despair, raise them up in Christ, and wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:17)

The only thing sadder than the event itself is the response of our Christ-less culture. Devoid of divine comfort and truth it imagines that a magical law can be enacted that will prevent such horrors from ever occurring again. There is. It is called totalitarianism. Prison. Where there are no guns, and where nothing bad ever happens.

Watching the news reports, however, I was consoled and encouraged by the sheriff who said something to the effect of: don't say this couldn't or shouldn't happen here, it did happen.

Here is a man who has a firm grasp on reality! I don't know his faith, but I do know that he lives in the Bible Belt where divine truth still informs people. Their sorrow is real, but it is also pure. They don't deny the evil before them. But nor do they, in the words of St. Paul, "grieve as others who have no hope." Nor are they paralyzed by magical thinking about a world where only sweet things happen. Indeed, in all likelihood, they believe what St. Paul writes in the next verse. "For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) That makes them strong, firm and steadfast in the face of pure evil.

Further, Christians are no strangers to violent death. Jesus, who violently died to purge us of our violent sins, teaches his followers to take up their cross and follow him. (Matthew 16:24) Where? To death of course. To the cross; the grave; and to glory. Hearing this pure word "a great multitude of Christian martyrs that no one could number" (Revelation 7:9) followed in his train. "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13)

Like the survivors of the church shooting in Charleston SC a few years ago, I predict that these people will stun the world with the buoyancy and resilience that is Christian faith. May the light of their confession pierce the stygian darkness that envelopes our culture, so that many who are now lost will see Christ, the Light of the World, and never again walk in darkness, but have the Light of life. (John 8:12)

Our father in the faith, Martin Luther, sums it up best in his signature hymn:

Though devils all the world should fill,
all eager to devour us.
We tremble not, we fear no ill,
they shall not over power us. 
This world's prince may still,
scowl fierce as he will.
He can harm us none,
he’s judged the deed is done.
One little word can fell him!

Jesus is that Word.

The Word made flesh who, now glorified, dwells among us in the Word and Sacraments.