I am a mess!

It's Holy Week. And, I am a mess! What a difficult month...and it's just half over. First, I cannot explain how much the killings at the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom have impacted me. Who would think that 115th and Nall was a dangerous place to be on a Sunday afternoon? I have been at the community Center a number of times. Everything that I know of the people and place tells me that it was a haven for families and students, supported by Jews and Gentiles alike. What sense can we make of such random violence? Truly, perhaps, our world has gone mad. And at Village Shalom....a woman visiting her mother as she did every Sunday...a Catholic, an occupational therapist. It strikes too close to home. She was my age. She visited her mother every Sunday. I did that for my dad. Who will explain the tragedy to her mother? Who will hold her hand and comfort her? Who will visit her every Sunday? She left three adult children and they will carry on...as I hope mine would do. It's too hard. Where does this violence come from? How does one hate someone simply on the basis of a religion? Or a language? Can we teach our children to be better than we have been? I am reminded of Dr. King's quote, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." As the Newtown Parents have often said, "love wins." Always. Every time. That is a difficult thing to hold on to in these dark days. And, our school. Our lovely, precious community of learners. We are closing. As that fact has sunk in, we have all become sad, and perhaps a bit bitter. And yet, our students persevere. They put on a fabulous show in Spamalot. I had my doubts at first. Monty Python? Really? But, who could not laugh? The students gave their all...they worked countless hours to master lyrics and dances that they had never heard of or performed. Every single student made me proud to be associated with Archbishop O'Hara High School. Who possibly thinks that closing our school is a good idea? Where in Kansas City could one find such a warm, loving, supportive community? Kids on stage with special needs...Kids who are top in their class academically. Athletes. Non athletes. Geeks. Robotics kids. Nerds. Popular kids. Not so popular kids. Transfer students. Students who started at OHS four years ago. Freshmen. Seniors. Somehow, each has found a home at O'Hara. It was incredible. And, someone, somewhere thinks it's a good idea to close us? A school that literally screams community to all who will listen. A school that stands vibrantly strong in the face of the kinds of hatred that drove the killings at the Jewish Community Center. Do we have our problems? Of course! What community of 300 does not? There are kids who do what they shouldn't...and adults too. But, we make it work. Our students are confident, successful, happy, loving, committed to peace and justice. We love each other. And, yet we are closing. There are teachers who have lost their jobs. And, students who love those teachers. What do we say to them? How do we heal? It's been a tough month. And, we are not quite through. But, it's Holy Week. The Passion of our Lord is before us. Somehow we hold to hope. We hold to the promise that tomorrow will be better. And, we commit our heart and strength to making it so.