I have never been a fan of the well-intentioned saying, "Everything happens for a reason ...."
Every time I hear it, I cringe and quickly replace it with Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose."
This triumphant verse is full of promise, optimism, and hope especially in the dark days after a tragedy. And it better expresses what the first phrase tries to convey: That nothing escapes God's Providence and that our God is so powerful, he can work all things -- even bad things -- into his good and holy plan.
In the weeks that have followed the wicked, senseless attack on innocent children, teachers, and staff during the August 27 morning Mass at Holy Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, (and the tragedies that have happened since), we have seen Romans 8:28 manifested in the lives of those involved.
These amazing stories crush the head of the evil that was unleashed, leaving two children dead and 18 injured. For this reason, they must be shared far and wide.
There are certainly more inspirational stories to come as the identity of many survivors remains concealed. But for now, we can draw strength and hope from the following testimonies:
Endre Gunte, a 13-year-old eighth grader who was shot twice, was about to face emergency surgery when he surprised his doctors and nurses by asking, "Will you pray with me?" The surgeon complied, and many involved expressed feeling encouraged by the powerful moment. Gunte's surgery was a success but he remains hospitalized and has a long road to recovery. His family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with his medical bills, trauma therapy, and rehabilitation. Within days of the site going live, it raised over 230K.
Weston Halsne and Victor Greenawalt, both 10-year-old fifth graders, narrowly survived the attack. When shots rang out, Greenawalt threw his body on top of Halsne and took a bullet for his friend. Halsne still wound up with shrapnel lodged in his neck, needing surgery because the shrapnel entered dangerously close to his carotid artery. Both boys are out of the hospital for now and are recovering at home with their families.
Father Dennis Zehren, Holy Annunciation's parish priest who was saying Mass that day, heroically ran toward the bullets to try to put himself between the shooter and the children. He said that he and a few other adults would have "gladly 'gang-rushed' the perpetrator but by the time they got there it was too late." Father Zehren was referring to the 23-year-old shooter and former student of the school; he died that morning of a self-inflicted gun wound.
Father Zehren's actions call to mind the self-sacrificial spirit of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a heroic Polish priest from WWII who perished in a concentration camp, giving his life so another man could live. St. Maximilian Kolbe's feast day was celebrated just a few days before the shooting. The saint once hearkened back to Romans 8:28 in a most profound way:
"Accept all that happens as God's will, including the suffering he permits you to undergo at the hands of evil men, knowing that even these will mysteriously enrich you."
The redemptive stories mentioned in this piece are just a few examples of Romans 8:28 in action. Sonia A. Rao recently reported in the New York Times that there were a lot of "unrecognized heroes" stepping up that horrible day:
"Students and staff members shielded the youngest children, police officers stopped victims’ bleeding, and a nurse abandoned protocol [exposing herself to radiation during a CT scan] to hold a scared child’s hand."
Again, these are just a couple examples of faith and heroism from the recent Minnesota school shooting. We wait in expectant hope to hear more as we grieve the lives of those lost: eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and ten-year-old Harper Moyski, two children who were senselessly murdered while praying but whose faith has "victory over the grave." (John 11:25)
