A Statement of Shalom? Or Not?
Family members of gunman Robert Hawkins issued a statement Saturday in response to the Westroads Mall shooting.
The statement was released to The Associated Press through the Rev. Mark Miller of Faith Presbyterian Church in La Vista, where Hawkins' father, stepmother and older sister are members.
In the statement, relatives of the 19-year-old gunman say they hope the community can heal.
The statement reads: "The Hawkins family extends its sincerest condolences to all those impacted by this senseless and horrible event. While no words can ease the pain and grief, our family prays that at some time, in some way, our community can be healed in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy."
posted by Bob | 7:32 AM
9 Comments:
The first part of the statement "... no words can ease the pain and grief" is clothed in humility and an admittance that there was a devastating wrong/evil done. That's a good start.
BUT
... the phrase "at some time, in some way, our community can be healed" does not elude to a very confident hope. It's like the sort of hope that you have to cross your fingers for. Plus, an answer or solution to this hope of healing is still left a mystery.
Usually, when someone says "hopefully things will work out" or "things will heal after time", it means that we'll feel better in the future because we'll remember the pain less. We'll forget and move on, not having been truly healed.
As mentioned this morning, we need to shoot for redemption or Shalom with the gospel rather than Shalom without the gospel.
The power that incarnated Jesus into flesh and raised him from the dead is the same power we have been given to bring peace to the world. Without the power of Jesus, there can be no internal or external power for change to happen.
i dunno... i think they have that longing for true shalom, but i dont think they know what it is or how to define it. the family recognizes it as a "senseless act." it seems that in their own grief they simply cannot grasp what true peace is... their illusion of it has been shattered or unraveled. before this morning i really didnt know what peace truly looked like. im still not sure i know. but it seems like they are grasping at something. they speak of pain and grief (internal) and healing for our community (external).
t-zach, i see what you are saying about their hope being a crossing of fingers and hoping for the best. however, it is late, and i am kind of dense, so could you expand and relate that to peace a little bit more? i know they are connected, but how, specifically, does an incorrect view of hope lead to an incorrect view of peace?
A couple of thoughts...
One thing that bothers me about the statement is that it is impersonal. It might as well be an earthquake or some other 'act of God' instead of an act of cowardice and evil perpetrated by their son.
I can only imagine the sense of horror, failure and shame the family must feel about this- the mother in particular. It would be overwhelming.
It is especially sad to read this statement from the family because it is released through their pastor and there is not even the word "God" in the statement. The phrase "in some way" leaves us so empty.....brenda
I agree with Lane that it's hard to comprehend the shame and hurt in the family.
However, I would've appreciated hearing an apology, much like the family of the Denver shooter did this evening. It's not to satisfy some personal sense of justice or other selfish reasons,. . . but, I think it shows humility and responsibility. I also didn't like that Social Services in Omaha was not apologetic at all, even though the perpetrator had been shipped around to a few different foster homes. I don't think enough has been said about some failure in that system.
That relates to the question for me. . . because I don't feel like we can wish Shalom or help to bring about Shalom (especially if we seek to point people to Jesus, our only source of Shalom) unless we begin by coming clean, taking responsibilty and humbling ourselves. That won't solve everything, of course,. . .but I think it needs to start there.
Aaron
Yes, I agree that the social services are by far an imperfect system, and being in several meetings with some of the leaders from those groups, I can tell you that they know it deeply as well. However, I think that we as a community need to be careful here as we pick apart the apology of a family whose son just murdered 8 people and shot himself. They are hurting, and yes, they failed as well. I think we need to caution ourselves in this conversation. Something in my heart feels unsettled about it.
The social services did fail, but is it not those in his life that he needed? Especially those that love Jesus? I am a failure in this love as well, but I think we need to take this opportunity and think about people in our lives that are needing love just as much as this young man did.
Jodi,
I totally agree, and apologize if my earlier comment was harsh or insensitive. It's like Lane was saying. . .I can't imagine what that must feel like to have that happen in your own family.
The immediate comments from Family services was very cold and a "we did our job" type of thing. That's all I was referring to.
Yes, let's be in prayer for these folks and help to bring healing. Thanks for your thoughts, Jodi.
Aaron
Thanks Aaron for what you said. I know that everyone feels different sides of the emotions that spring up when something this horrible happens. I just hope that we are cautious of those thoughts and emotions during the grieving process, and encouraging one another as a body toward Jesus through them.
In light of the fact that these tragedies seem to spark similar tragedies, and that there are others experiencing as much unrest, pain and loneliness in their soul even as we blog - hoping for a healed community is futile unless "community" includes the "Robert Hawkins" next door (or at school, or on the street). I am deeply saddened by the lifetime of losses that he experienced. And oh, if I could never waste an opportunity to be Jesus to someone who needs Him...(note to self: impossible without God)
It seems that the Hawkins family is speaking more personally - hoping that "at some time, in some way" they can forgive themselves. This is where a victim's family could help them heal - by offering forgiveness and Shalom only possible through Jesus.
Finally, let me just say that my own spiritual growth truly accelerated after leaving Faith Pres. Church as a teenager and landing at a church that really opened the Word to me - Christ Community. Praise God for that.
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