By Fr. Glenn Jones:
As you no doubt have heard, on the morning of August 27, 2025, the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis became the site of a horrid scene. During a Mass celebrating the first week of school, a shooter fired through the church windows, killing two children and injuring 18 others. This Catholic community, a place where generations of believers had gathered for baptisms, weddings, and communions, was shattered by violence that struck at the heart of innocence and faith. Why, why, WHY, we cry, strike at children?!
How do we make sense of such evil? Where is God in the midst of suffering? Humanity is given free will—the ability to choose between good and evil, selfishness and charity, hatred and love. The Christian tradition, rooted in Scripture and the wisdom of the Church Fathers, offers guidance through three pillars: trust in God, the importance of prayer, and the hope for eternal life. While often ridiculed by non-believers as we saw in the aftermath of this episode, these elements not only sustain us in crisis. God no doubt weeps when we harm one another, and yet infuses grace in those left behind to bring about good—greater love and charity toward those who are suffering, greater impetus to cherish one another in an uncertain world.
Thinking about that shooting in Minneapolis the other day, one can’t help but wonder about the mindset of the shooter. To target children seems to be the ultimate in cowardice and weakness—to attack those who cannot defend themselves. And why shoot up a church? Was it hatred for what is taught there—those instructions to love neighbor, practice charity, humility, forgive wrongs, and all other such “oh-so-scurrilous” teachings? Or possibly rejection of more controversial teachings of our day of which the Church has held the line for 2000 years—pro-life, on birth control, and in this case of a shooter who believed himself transgender, possibly non-acceptance of the current transgender wave, which even Pope Francis—no conservative by any measure—taught against. But what, the reasoned person cannot fathom, is to be gained by killing children?
We are rightly horrified by such events, yet similar things have occurred throughout history. One that sticks in memory is that killing of the seven Amish children in the West Nickel Mines school shooting in 2006. In contrast to a world which often relishes hatred and retribution, the Amish parents publicly forgave the obviously deranged killer in no doubt an almost excruciatingly difficult but nonetheless absolutely determined adherence to their faith in Jesus and His teaching of forgiveness. Few Christians will face such a difficult challenge to faith.
That’s one of the hardest of God’s teachings to follow—forgiving those who do us harm, or even more so who harm our loved ones. That does not dismiss the need for justice or prevention of harm, however, especially by the governing bodies of society, nor does it mean that we need facilitate more crime or harm by overlooking harm done. For example, one need not feel obligated to hire a bookkeeper who already has been convicted of embezzlement, though forgiveness of one who is repentant is certainly laudable and, in Christian teaching, needful.
But forgiveness lies at the very heart of the Christian gospel; indeed, it is a divine mandate to renew human relationships and restore communion with God, who is Father of all. Forgiveness becomes not an optional virtue but as an essential response to God’s own mercy. Believers are urged to “… be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) This, of course, echoes the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:12: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Jesus emphasizes this immediately after that prayer: “… if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Fast forward to the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35, which reinforces the Christian necessity of forgiveness: a servant forgiven a massive debt refuses to forgive a minor one, leading to his condemnation. In that passage forgiveness is portrayed as boundless. In another place, the apostle Peter asks if seven times suffices for forgiveness, but Jesus retorts “seventy-seven times,” a response symbolizing limitless grace.
Early Church Fathers built upon this foundation, viewing forgiveness as the gateway to salvation and communal harmony. Tertullian depicted God as a loving Father eager to forgive repentant sinners, encouraging them to seek pardon. The Fathers advised confronting anger head-on to forgive those who harm us, promoting repentance and forgiveness as virtues for coexistence. This aligns with Biblical calls to reconcile, as in 2 Corinthians 5:18, where we’re assured that God reconciles us through Christ and entrusts Christians with the ministry of reconciliation.
Non-Christian traditions, too, emphasize the need for forgiveness. Buddhism, for example, views forgiveness as crucial for ending one’s own suffering and achieving inner peace. Holding onto anger and resentment is likened to “drinking poison and hoping the other person suffers”. Confucianism also sees forgiveness as a means to restore harmony and preserve dignity within relationships and society, though less about personal liberation and more about the maintenance or repair of social bonds. There is an emphasis on self-examination and repentance, considering one’s own role in the breakdown of relationships and choosing a response that upholds highest moral standards.
But, ultimately, Biblical forgiveness transcends any mere philosophy: it is God’s initiative, extended through Christ, compelling us to forgive as we are forgiven. In a world often torn apart, embracing forgiveness fosters healing and reflects divine love itself. No, it’s not easy by any means; few things of virtue and worth rarely are. But as St. Paul instructs, “… as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive”, (Colossians 3:13) So let us forgive, that we ourselves may be forgiven, as well as be an example toward others of God’s love.
Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.