The Horror of the Cross
False Sentimentality in and for Orlando
Photo By: Flickr/.Martin.
Something horrible happened June 12, 2016, the worst mass shooting in our nation’s history. It happened at a gay bar/nightclub in the city of Orlando. This horrible event happened at a place that would not be considered wholesome or even mainstream. It was a club that celebrated homosexuality. No, not being gay or having same sex attraction, but honoring and congregating to celebrate the lifestyle that many of this “community” promote and indulge in.
And you know what? That is okay. We have been given free will by our Creator. We can live and act as we wish. This is how some of us have chosen. Do many of us disagree with this lifestyle? Absolutely! Do we wish for our brothers and sisters to be saved, repentant and desirous of them to enter into a personal relationship with our Savior? Absolutely! Are people from the LGBT community somehow different from us? They are absolutely not!
This was a crime of evil actions against all Americans, not just the LGBT “Community”. This bar was not a place of “solidarity and empowerment where people come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds, and to advocate for civil rights”, as our President stated. This was a night club where people drank, came to “hook up”, and celebrate their gay lifestyle and promiscuity.
And again, that is okay, but call it what it is! The false and misleading sentimentality cheapens and degrades us all. People who frequent these types of establishments and who have chosen such a lifestyle are no less deserving of life and liberty than anyone else. It is unjust to sugarcoat and misrepresent their actions and behaviors.
This is a tragedy! This is a tragedy not because it happened to people who were LGBT, but because it happened to our fellow human beings; our brothers and sisters in Christ. These were individuals made in the likeness and image of God. Jesus came to Earth and died for them too.
False sentimentality cheapens us as a nation. It divides us as a true community – a community after all is defined by greater and wider aspects of it’s people then their sexual orientation or attraction. We cannot let political agendas and special interests cloud genuine compassion and mercy for all, including the gunman. Yes, he deserves mercy too. If we expect and seek mercy from our Savior, then we, ourselves, must be willing to extend it to everyone in need.
Christ came for all of us, he died for all of us, and he yearns for us all to unite-in our sameness and our differences. When we fail to do this, we work against his Kingdom. We must not minimize our divine image and likeness by a definition that confines us and defines us by something as finite and material as our sexual practices. We are so much more than that!
False sentimentality is evil and does great harm to all of us. It hands Satan a victory.
Prayers for Orlando and America!
About the Author
I am a 57 year old, wife and mother of two grown sons. I am Cradle Catholic and experienced a reversion to the faith several year ago that moved me to dive more deeply into an understanding of the church and it’s doctrines and dogmas. The more I read, and discover, the deeper my love of the Catholic Church and her teachings becomes.
I become the Executive Director of a very active and busy Crisis Pregnancy Center on the West side of Cincinnati in October 2021. God is so good and answers prayers even though He knows at times, we have no idea what we are asking for. I left this job a few days ago, after having my heart broken and idea of working for a Catholic institution disallusioned. I am so honored and humbled to have had the experience to serve women and the unborn in this capacity! I am also very grateful for God, allowing me to see for myself, that perhaps such a calling was not His long term plan for me. Perhapos returning to Catholic 365 is more to his liking and fits more into his plan for me. I hopefully can once again be more active with content to this wonderful website.
I live in Cincinnati, Ohio where I attended the same parochial grade school and public high school that my two boys attend. I sang in the choir for 35 years and have also been a cantor. I recently left singing in church because i found it to be a grave distraction to the awesome significance of the Liturgy. I haven't looked back, and love the Mass now more than ever! I have been a past member of the Education Commission and have devoted many hours to the well being of St. Ann Church and School (now Our Lady of Grace).
I look forwad to being back and submitting more articles and content. I love being able to share my faith and use this platform as a way to express my deep love and devotion to our Lord. We need each other, and what a wonderful way to connect with others!
