Stained Glass Windows

After two days since the Virginia Tech massacre, my best friend's blog spurred me on to find out more about what happened. What I found was sad, heart-breaking news. One troubled, young, S. Korean man purchased two guns and killed 32 other students and teachers. As an Asian, I wonder if culture had anything to do with it. Did he not fit in? Was he unable to bridge the gap between his Korean history, upbringing, and culture with his new American education and society? As a psychology major, I wonder if damage to his orbitofrontal cortex decreased his inhibition abilities, or if he had some mental disorder (e.g., depression) that nobody noticed? As an English minor reading his plays and analyzing them, I wonder if he had been the victim of sexual abuse. There is little mention of his family in all the news websites I visited. I want to know more about his past. What led up to this tragedy? As someone preparing to be a leader in residence next year, I wonder, what would I do if I were confronted with this situation? How would I respond? Would I respond to my own instincts--to flee and protect myself? Would my responsibilities overtake those instincts in order to protect those around me? I can't say.

As a Christian, my compassion extends for the grieving families, classmates, faculty, and all the others who have been affected. My prayers are for those who have lost dear siblings, sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, friends, fathers, this list of relationships goes on. Moreover, I mourn for the lost souls--those who had not met Christ as their personal Saviour and Redeemer. No one would have woken up that morning expecting it to be their last day. They were young. They had potential to change the world. But now their futures have been snuffed out like flames on new candlesticks.

As a Christian, what am I doing today for the lost souls still wandering the earth? What if I had the chance to bring God's salvation to somebody, but I missed it? This grim event is a reminder for Christians to shine. We can't be too caught up in our daily habits and rituals to miss out on opportunities to be God's light in this dark world.


As I was reading Letters to Marc About Jesus by Henri Nouwen today, I came across a profound anecdote of Nouwen's eucharist experience in Strasbourg. He writes, "During his sermon, the preacher pointed to that huge round window of stained glass [see below] and said, 'It is a work of art made by human beings. But unless God's sun shines through it we see nothing.'"

I love stained glass windows. Whenever I step into a cathedral and the sunshine pours in through the stained glass, I stand in awe of its beauty. What the preacher said at Strasbourg is simply so accurate. We have a choice. We can lives our lives clouded and murky by our own passions, desires, and upward mobility, or we can live pure, sanctified lives that allow the light of God to shine through. And through these divinely brightened lives, may our testimonies and words continue to reach out to those around us.

To the souls that were lost at Virginia Tech on Monday, rest in peace.