Brothers and sisters of this congregation, I come to you asking a simple question.
How are humans different from animals?
It’s not our opposable thumbs, primates have those.
It’s not our ability to use tools, crows have the capability.
It’s not even coming together and grieving as too many have today, even elephants have funerals.
No, it’s sin.
All God’s creatures are capable of unthinkable actions, we are the only ones commanded to not attempt them.
Other creatures have reasons for their atrocities.
We can understand why an animal kills.
We can attribute it to survival.
Whether it be nourishment or defense, we can see why a creature has to take the life of another if that’s what continues its own life.
What I can’t understand, what I still can’t wrap my head around is the events that played out in that elementary school today.
What I can’t understand is why someone would take the life of innocent children who haven’t even gotten a chance to live.
What I can’t understand is why someone would kill their own grandmother, was it so she didn’t have to see what they were capable of?
Animals don’t kill for the sake of it, they don’t kill because of a darkness inside of them that swallows the light of others, they kill because they have to.
The gunman did it because he could.
Despite seeing the fear of a child, the kind that would drop me to my knees, he pulled the trigger.
Despite hearing sobs that can break anyone, he pulled the trigger.
He pulled the trigger on more than 19 children, they had their last day on this earth before they could have their best.
We are God’s chosen creatures for a reason, we can bring hope to the world or we can bring destruction, frankly I’m tired of seing the sin of those I cannot save.
As I’ve said before I don’t understand why the assailant did this. All I know is in his last moments, he gave up any shred of his humanity and showed the world the dark beast that lies underneath all of us.
Maybe my opponent this week can help me, after all he knows the animals that overwhelm this earth much more than me.
Maybe he can tell me something that makes me grieve less.
Maybe he can help me stop trying to deny it and accept another mass shooting here.
Maybe he can make me less depressed or at least less angry if he gives me a scientific explanation.
All I know is I’m talking about trying to bargain my emotions with an animal expert because I can’t see how a human would do this.
Only an animal at its worst could create this kind of carnage.
Before I speak to him, brothers and sisters, I just want to say I love you and am so grateful for all the time we have together. Tell everyone you cherish that because we don’t know how long we have.
Before I dismiss you, I’ll leave you with the words of Chip himself, grab life by the balls.
I wish those kids still could.