Twenty-five years ago, I gathered on an August night with nearly 2 million young people on the outskirts of Rome for an amazing encounter with Pope John Paul II — a man now declared a saint. I was already way too old to find the notion of camping out with so many strangers appealing, but I had been invited to join a group of young pilgrims from my home diocese for World Youth Day. I had already been working for a few years at the Vatican, and had weekly opportunities to listen to Pope John Paul, but there was something remarkable about experiencing him through the eyes of teenagers and young adults. Their excitement when he buzzed the crowd in the papal helicopter was palpable and something I will never forget.
His message that evening was inspiring. At the beginning of the new millennium, he called our youth to be watchmen — sentinelli in Italian. In the ancient world, watchmen collaborated to protect human life. They had to be on the lookout for wolves and marauders, and they looked beyond the horizon to see the first signs of the day to come, which they announced with hope to their sisters and brothers. The saintly pope was calling on our youth to be on the lookout for Jesus as he breaks into the darkness of our world from beyond the horizon, and to joyfully proclaim his presence.
We’ve experienced great darkness in recent days. Senseless violence is always horrific, but especially so when the targets are young children, full of faith and life. I cannot begin to imagine the sorrow piercing the hearts of the parents, families and friends of Fletcher and Harper, the anxiety gripping the families of those who were injured, and the depth of the trauma experienced by all who were at Mass that fateful day.
And yet it is precisely in such darkness that we, and especially our youth, are called as disciples to be watchmen who search for the first hopeful signs of dawn.
I have been amazed by how many young people have been doing just that, coming to Annunciation with their flowers, teddy bears, candles and prayers. They have been leaving beautiful messages that tell me that youthful eyesight may be better than mine. No matter how often it has rained, there has been someone to take up the chalk once again and write and rewrite “Love wins” on the sidewalk at Annunciation.
We have all seen evidence of the love that wins in the heart-felt pleas of Principal Matt DeBoer to move our feet when we pray, and in the compassionate response of his teachers and staff. We have witnessed it as well in the selfless service of Father Dennis Zehren, the pastor, and of Deacon Kevin Conneely and the parish staff, in spite of their own shock.
I was stunned by the loving concern of the folks I visited in the hospital for their classmates and neighbors, and even for the family of the shooter.
Families of those injured, moreover, have repeatedly spoken about the extraordinary and loving help they have received from first responders and hospital staff. We’ve seen that heroic love as well in the large number of counselors, clergy and crisis management professionals who have volunteered their time and expertise to meet with students and teachers and their families.
The love that wins has been obvious, moreover, in those who have brought their comfort dogs and bunnies with the hope of eliciting a smile from a forlorn child or exhausted parents. We’ve seen it in the Salvation Army volunteers who have kept the families well-fed, and in the professional and college athletes who have made time to be with the children and their families.
I’ve seen nothing but love, moreover, in the members of the archdiocesan staff who have quietly gone above and beyond the call of duty in their efforts to support those at Annunciation. And I’ve been overwhelmed by the texts, emails, letters and phone calls from those around the world who desire to join Pope Leo in his prayers for healing in this difficult situation. Similarly, every time I have gone to Annunciation in these days, I have found people praying the rosary, all out of the love that wins.
This past weekend, Pope Leo canonized two young people — Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati — who were extraordinary watchmen, capable of recognizing the light of Christ on the horizon even in the midst of great suffering. I hope that you will join me in seeking the intercession at the heavenly throne of these new saints, along with that of Fletcher and Harper, for the work of healing that remains to be done. May they remind us, and especially the young students at Annunciation, that in Christ love always wins.
