Today at Northern Illinois University there was a school shooting. The reports are not consistent but approximately 17 people were shot and 5 or 6 were killed, plus the assumed suicide of the shooter. Why does this happen on college campuses so frequently? Why is there so much hate in the world that people decide they need to take someone else's life?
Well as you know today is Valentines Day. The "Day of Love" if you will. I have to say that the as horrible and tragic as 5-7 people having their lives taken from them today that is not the real tragedy. The real tragedy is the absence of Love. The tragedy is the presence of Hate. What if someone had shown love to this college student? What if instead of feeling like he had no one he had a Christ-like community of people surrounding him that knew him deeply? One that knew the hurt and built up anger deep inside of him and that loved him despite that. It would have changed his life! It would have changed the life of Northern Illinois University. It would have changed the world.
I'll leave you with the lyrics of some hippies you may know well...
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be in time
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Oh yeah, and Jesus, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."
