The family of Ron and Sue Wilson have asked Hennepin Healthcare to post the following statement and photo on their behalf:
The shooting at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis was a tragedy that will scar the hearts of the victims, their families, and the church community forever. We can never replace the hole that one mentally ill person created by murdering innocent young children. Families were robbed of a future of laughter and love. We mourn for the families and pray that God has taken his children home.
But don't let the actions of one person blind us to the fact that we are surrounded by people who are touched by God and whose love and bravery surpass our imagination.
One mentally ill person murdered and injured the most innocent among us. But if that is where we focus our attention, we miss the beauty of humanity. We never know when tragedy will strike, but in this one as in countless others, heroes emerge and the true colors of humanity shine through. While the shots were still ringing out, young heroes shielded their classmates from danger, teachers ushered children to safety without concern for their own well-being, and elderly people rushed to aid and comfort children who were dying and injured.
Some may question how a loving God could allow tragedies like this to happen, but only a loving God could. Imagine a world of absolute justice, where every action, word and thought were punished or rewarded immediately and in perfect proportion. There would be no room for mercy or choice in that world. There would also be no faith because there would be no doubt that an all-present, all-powerful being was in charge. We would live in a suffocating tyranny, not perfect bliss. That would be a desirable world only if staying alive was the most important thing, but it is not. The worst thing to happen to us in this life is not death (that just means we have a chance to be with God), it is turning away from God. By giving us real choices in how we act, our loving God give us the freedom to commit evil but also the opportunity to find him in its wake.
And if you need more evidence that we have a loving God, look to the events at Annunciation. One person turned away from God and committed incredibly evil acts. But more importantly, the people who were actively communing with God had God act through them. Rather than have their basic survival instincts kick in and seek self-preservation, in an instant of terror those in the church sought to help each other at risk to their own lives. They shielded others with their own bodies and took the time to help others to safer places rather than run and hide on their own. That is not normal behavior in the animal kingdom, but evidence that God was touching the souls of those who had reached out and needed Him.
So yes, one person committed an act so evil that most of us can't comprehend what was going through their mind. But in response, thousands of people have been inspired to take action and help. In our family, we have seen the police and first responders arrive at a dangerous and chaotic scene and quickly bring about comfort and safety. We have seen doctors and nurses taking extraordinary steps to not only heal bodies, but hearts and minds as well. We have seen companies provide food to those spending hours in waiting rooms at the hospital and free flights to loved ones coming to help. We have seen the Veterans Administration quickly go above and beyond to provide care and support to our patriarch. We have seen a Deacon and his wife envelop a suffering parish in their arms. We have seen a new principal and new parish priest emerge as vital leaders in a time of need. We have received prayers and support from loved ones around the world through social media. Whole communities have volunteered to help us in any way they can. And we have seen how loved ones can rally together in crisis to support those in need and each other.
One person changed us forever in ways we are only beginning to understand. But we can choose to make those changes the silver lining in this dark cloud. We can love a little harder, care a little more, be a little kinder to others, try to understand each other a little more, and judge a little less. We can respect that everyone has their own ideas on how to prevent tragedies like this in the future, and that we are surrounded every day by people of good hearts who want the best for the world even if their path to get there differs from ours. When tragedy strikes again, we can choose to be that beacon of hope for those who are suffering. And we can choose to believe in a loving God and seek to understand His will for us.
The vast majority of the people in this world are caring, loving, honorable people. Let's not let the very few among us who are so damaged that they revel in the pain of others color how we see humanity. There is a famous saying that goes "Be the change you want to see in the world." Along with that, what our family will take from this event is to see God acting in those around us.
The opinions and perspectives expressed in the statement represent the views of the Wilson family.
