The evil one is at work today.
Once again, another senseless mass shooting is in the news. This time, however, it may have struck even closer to home in the sense that our school ministry also gathers for worship on Wednesday mornings and our sanctuary is surrounded by windows. Because we take security very seriously, we have certain protocols in place, including locking the doors and having visitors sign in and wear a visitor badge, even if you are a well-known member of our church family. It would be wonderful if we would not have to worry about such things, but we live in a very broken world.
Which is why we need a Savior, not a helper – a Savior who Himself endured all the hatred the evil one could bring upon Him as He died on the cross so that we could have forgiveness and eternal life. Make no mistake about it. The evil one is behind these terrible acts of hatred and violence. The following was reported by the Catholic News Agency: During [a video he posted on YouTube,] Westman zooms in on an image of Jesus Christ wearing the crown of thorns that he attached to the head of a human-shaped shooting target…. Westman laughed while pointing the camera at the shooting target, and then moved the camera to show anti-Christian messages and drawings on his guns and loaded magazines. One message read: “Where’s your God?” and another: “Where’s your [expletive] God now?” A third read: “Do you believe in God?” while another stated “[expletive] everything you stand for.” Another message on a rifle stated “take this all of you and eat,” which mocks the words Jesus Christ said at the Last Supper and the words said in the Eucharistic prayer during every Mass. Westman drew an inverted pentagram on one of the magazines, which is a symbol often used to promote Satanism but is sometimes used in other occult practices. The number ‘666’ was also written on the magazine.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/266215/minneapolis-catholic-church-shooter-mocked-christ-in-video-before-attack
My reason for sharing that was not shock value but to simply make clear what we sometimes don’t want to admit: the evil one is at work today and arrogantly tries to mock God as he infiltrates society. But as Pastor Walther has been masterfully showing while leading a study of Revelation on Sunday mornings, he can’t undo what Christ accomplished at the cross and the empty tomb. Those who are in Christ ultimately win. Heaven is our home through faith in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God!