In the wake of violence, we can't afford to lose our faith

In the wake of the tragic shooting that killed two children at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis and injured 21 others at its adjacent Catholic school, we are once again witnessing deep grief and mourning for families and a community where questions drastically outweigh any possible answers. This is thus far the deadliest school massacre of 2025, and it will be added to the dismal statistics of the U.S., continuing to have the highest number of school shootings in the world. The responses of anger and outrage have become a depressing norm for these acts of senseless violence, but one shocking reaction was that of former White House press secretary Jen Psaki regarding people lifting up Minneapolis in prayer. Psaki tweeted on Aug. 27, "Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers (do) not end school shootings. Prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers." Most Christians would agree that we need to do more than just pray, as in this troubling time, the church must assertively step forward in ministering to young people whose lives are being choked with hatred and bitterness. As more information is revealed about the Minneapolis shooter, who was only 23, we are learning about his disturbing disdain for Christians, Jews, Hispanics and African Americans, and that he was consumed by a horrific yearning to kill children. His heart and soul were seared with loathing and abhorrence toward God, and he ended his life, which was unfortunately devoid of hope, love and compassion. One of Psaki's comments that I believe parents of children who attend the Church of the Annunciation school would disagree with the most is that prayers do not make them feel safe regarding their kids. In interviews that I have seen with surviving children and their parents, they have mentioned prayer as a source of great strength and comfort while they are dealing with this tragedy. In a "Today" show segment following the shooting, eighth-grader Javen Willis spoke alongside his mother, Melissa. He shared how he immediately prayed when he told two of his buddies to get under the pews after hearing gunshots while they were in Mass. Javen, who is incredibly mature beyond his years, then stated that he knew he had to try and keep others safe around him, and that God "was on (his) side." Melissa added, "I just thank God," when she described seeing her son and being able to put her arms around him. As fifth-grader Astoria Safe stood with her father, she told "CBS Evening News" anchor Maurice DuBois that she was asking God to protect her and her friends after a bullet grazed her forehead. Astoria has a fragment that remains lodged in her skull that doctors said is too dangerous for surgery at this time. After surviving such a horrendous incident, young people like Javen and Astoria are boldly holding on to their faith as they are still emotionally processing what happened. For those questioning the power of prayer after the Church of the Annunciation shooting, it is essential to note that God never promises in His Word that we will not experience misfortune; however, He does, as 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 states, promise to "(comfort) us in all our affliction" so that we may be able to extend reassurance to those going through similar trials. Luke 18:1 instructs us always to pray, and 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all our cares, worries, troubles, and anxieties upon God, for He cares for us. It's easy to question God's care and concern when innocent children like the Annunciation shooting victims, 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, lose their lives. The pain of their families is unbearable right now, and those of us who believe in prayer must intercede for them. We must pray that they will trust God to see them through this life-shattering ordeal. We must also pray for healing and peace in our nation, and not just for the Annunciation families but for the mother of the shooter, who has also lost a child. She will most likely endure a lot of criticism as the gun control debate will continue to rage on. Still, even the most effective laws to regulate guns cannot legislate the heart of a mentally disturbed person with an evil intent to murder. Prayer is needed more than ever now, with the violence that remains a serious threat to us and our children. We can't afford to lose our faith in combating it. Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com.