A day will come in the distant future when life at Virginia Tech will return to “normal.” But what if normal will never be the same again? Already the Church has been playing a role in the events this week in Blacksburg. There have been memorials and vigils. The funerals are soon to follow. But what can the Church uniquely provide in these and the coming days? I’d like to suggest at least three contributions of the Church during times of crisis.
Prayer:
Only the Church can pray all that is on God’s heart. Surely people in Norris Hall were praying even as Cho Seung-Hui was in the building shooting innocent men and women. But there is ample evidence that the Holy Spirit moves others to pray at vital moments, even before the public is aware of the need. I believe that before Cho ended the violence by taking his own life, the prayers of God’s people were making a real difference. The power of these prayers may never come to light on earth: a faculty member finding courage and strength ...