Too many times have we at the Apostolic Johannite Church been called upon to write letters responding to the mass shootings. Connecticut, Colorado, Portland, and now Roseberg, Oregon.
No words can possibly be adequate to express the sorrow we feel, or heal the pain and soothe the horror that has been inflicted upon so many in a short time. These outbreaks become more and more common as time goes by. As His Grace Mar Thomas has said, “They are symptoms of a deep and profound illness that ravages our world.” Those who are doing their best to better the world, through education, through teaching, through knowledge: These are the ones whose lives are targeted, whose brilliant lights are put out too soon.
Ignorance tries to make us afraid of learning, tries to use fear to keep us from knowing the world and ourselves. It tries to make us react, rather than act as we would: with compassion, wholeness, and understanding. Ours is a warrior tradition, but we stand with the weak against the cruel; with the victims against the violent; with the downtrodden against the oppressor. We defend against ignorance and fear, we do not fight against learning. In the schools and colleges, let us strive to make them places of healing, not scenes of death.
Please join us in our prayer.
Holy Raphael, whose name means “God Heals,” take our prayers to the Most High. Receive your departed children into your embrace, comfort those who are affected by these terrible crimes, lead those who perpetrate them to repentance and peace, and bless all of those who work to bring healing and understanding to this situation. Empower and strengthen us also to do our share to heal our broken world. We pray in the name of the Logos, AMEN.
I thank all of you for your support of your local communities and churches, their clergy and laity, the Archdiocese of Wisconsin, and the whole of the Apostolic Johannite Church. I remain
Your devoted brother before the Sacred Flame:
Monsignor Scott Rassbach
Dean of the Western United States
Pastor, Rose Cross Community, Portland, OR