Madmen and tragedy

Today, early in night hours, a madman created a tragedy that is hard to imagine.  In a few hours he killed over 50 people and injured another 50 or more.  I'm sure, if you haven't been in a cave, you have heard the details of this day in great detail.

Let me simply (if such a thing is possible) address two issues, 1. the madman, and 2. the tragedy.

First, thankfully, madmen are a rare thing, but when they strike we are surprised, shocked, grieved and saddened.  We all know this is not the way things should be.  We hope for peace, kindness and civility, but madmen have chosen to abandon the common good and either because of insanity, hate or revenge (who knows all the motives involved) they act and the rest of us suffer.  If there is an example of evil in  human form madmen show us what that is like.

Second, the tragedy in Orlando this morning is a tragedy because of lives lost.  Senseless murder, no matter the reason, is condemned by everyone.  Evil is evil, and this was evil.  I hope we can take the motive out of the discussion, it only takes our eyes off the real issue. Whether hatred, revenge, terrorism, or prejudice...whatever the reason, this event, these murders are a terrible and sad loss.

I am praying for the families.  I'm praying for our culture. Every life is important to God.  He loves every soul lost and grief is our proper response because each of these people was a person Christ died for.  Each one was loved by God.  

This is a terrible and sad tragedy.  I pray we can focus on the lives lost and not on the motive of the madman.