“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Luke 18:8 (NAB)
This past weekend was the 25th anniversary of the Columbine high school shootings. I hesitated at first, to write about the dreadful massacre of thirteen innocent people that day, twelve students and one teacher. Then I learned of a hope filled story that came out of that tragedy, which I never heard before, and wanted to share it.
In honor of the anniversary of that day, Frank DeAngelis, the man who was the principal of the school was interviewed on a Christian TV program. He shared how, in the midst of all the fear and chaos, he managed to gather a group of students into the gymnasium, and from there, safely lead them outside, escaping the two shooters.
The principal said he started praying as soon as the shooting began. When he came across a group of students, he led them to the school gymnasium. When they got there, the door was locked, and the sound of gunshots was coming closer and closer.
Mr. DeAngelus had a key ring with 30 keys on it. Not knowing which key was for the gymnasium, he grabbed hold of any key to try it, and the first key he grabbed was miraculously, the right key! They all hurried inside the gymnasium and then out the exit door, where he and twenty students escaped safely.
DeAngelis said that if that key wasn’t the right key, it would have caused him to fumble and keep trying until finding the right one, and there is no doubt that he and those twenty students would not be alive today. He was able to save them, not by skill or luck, but by prayer and divine intervention. By God’s grace, as he continued to pray, his shaking hand miraculously grabbed the right key out of 30 keys, at the right moment.
Instead of turning every tragedy into endless debates on gun control or mental health issues, there is another factor that most of the world doesn’t want to discuss…and that is our need for God.
The entire universe was created for the purpose of drawing all people to the love of God, who then leads us to love our neighbor, and live by faith in Christ. The Lord wants us to call upon Him in our time of trouble.
This story is only one of a few heroic acts of faith that took place that day. DeAngelis said he was praying under his breath the whole time, and knows that God helped him pull the right key out and steer those students to a path of safety.
It seems that both faith and God have long been removed from the conversations, that follow similar tragedies like this one. No wonder Jesus asked whether He will find faith on the earth, when He returns.
In spite of the state of unbelief that the world seems to be in, God is still giving courage to whoever does believe in Him. He is still placing the correct key in our hand, in the right moment, to help us safely lead others to Jesus, who is the only pathway to salvation.
Lord, help us to keep our faith and call on you in every kind of trouble. As we share our faith with others, we trust in your mercy and divine intervention to rescue us. Amen
(Thank you all for your great faith and your prayers. Jon’s last CT scan shows improvement)