Love is stronger than death

The following invocation was delivered by Archbishop Charles Chaput at the April 25, 1999, Columbine Memorial Service.

One of the great Catholic Christians of this century, Augustine Mayer, once said that "nothing great is achieved without suffering." Surely the past week is about as much suffering as any community can bear. But in the midst of this confusion, I find my heart turning again and again to the Scripture passage which reads "love is strong as death" (Song 8:6).

I believe that. Love is as strong as death. In fact, after witnessing the dignity and the goodness of some of the parents who lost children at Columbine, I know that love is stronger than death. So perhaps, beyond all this suffering, something great really will be achieved. Perhaps each of us will begin to recover the vocation for which all of us are made — the vocation to love each other, no matter what the cost. In that spirit, please join with me to pray:

God,

Father of life, Father of hope, creator and sustainer of the human heart, out of love for the world you made us in your image, sealed us with your dignity, and set us apart as your sons and daughters. Because of your love, we are better than our sins, and greater than our failures. We are your children, made by your hand — and created not for sorrow, but for joy.

Hear your children today. Help us to love you more, by loving each other better; to serve you more, by serving each other better.

Grant your light and peace, forever, to all those who died at Columbine. Grant your consolation and strength to their families and friends. Heal all those who were wounded. Forgive those who created this tragedy — and by your grace, help us to forgive them as well.

Father, in our time together today and in the weeks ahead, help us to examine our own hearts. Help us to turn away from violence and selfishness. And help us to choose, instead, lives of conversion and sacrifice — not just in our words, but in our actions . . . and beginning first with ourselves.

We ask this in your name, confident that all suffering, all sorrow, has meaning . . . because you are the God of love, and love is stronger than death.

Amen.