Sunday Homily, December 13, 2015, 3rd Advent

Greetings from Yosemite, Hoover Wilderness, and Matterhorn Canyon.   Departure Moment.   All say "Hi" and "Welcome," Beth, Andy, Rose, Tom, an Old Geezer, Paul & Carrie, Matt & Ray, son & dad.

Readings:

Sirach,   27, 30-28, 7    Wrath & anger are hateful things

Psalm 103,   The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love. (that marvelous line again!)

Romans 14, 7-9,  None of us lives for oneself.

Matthew 18, 21-35,  The gracious king and the abusive servant.

Tori says, "Welcome Home, all you Campers."

Observations on Sirach

What: a collection of wisdom statements or ethics, like 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'   Lengthy, 51 chapters.

Who:  composed by a Jewish scribe in Hebrew and translated into Greek by his grandson, probably in Alexandria, Egypt.

When:  ca. 200 yours before Christ.

Subject today: Beware of hatred & Anger.

Harper says, "May I go the next time you go camping?"

Cura Personalis or caring for another

I would like to talk this morning about an old ethical concept we were trained up on as Jesuits, cura personalis, in Latin, which means taking care of the other in my life. 

For years I have been trying to take care of my fellow campers on our voyages to Yosemite and elsewhere.  This past trip my fellow campers took care of me.

Trey & Brady, our Candle Lighters of The Week.

For example, we had a new guy this year, Matt Occhipinti.  Yes, Ray & Claire’s son.  For me he was a wild card, an unknown, consequently, scary.  Like can he do the hike or will he melt down.  And then what?

Well, not only did Matt not melt down he was a great camper, hiker, and especially a helper around the camp sites.  Like I saw him frequently hauling water up from the river or lake to fill our water purification bladder.  I thank him.

So what do you do when you finally arrive at the 11k plus Burrow Pass to find that the trail going steeply down the other side is covered by a huge mass of left over snow?   Yes, Harper, you slide.

I also thank Ray, not only for bringing Matt, but also for being our evening dinner cook and our morning hot water maker.   It is so nice to crawl out of my sleeping bag in 38 degree temp to find hot water prepared for coffee or oat meal.  Thanks again, Ray.

Cura personalis also came from Paul & Carrie, not only for each other, but even for me!  They watched my back and helped me up some big boulder steps. They saved me a tent site and helped me set up my tent one evening when I arrived pretty exhausted. I watched them, too, folks, and can let you know, as I told them, their relationship is made in heaven and they have many happy days ahead of them because they care for each other so well, especially by listening to each other.  Thanks, Paul & Carrie.

Buddy & Georgie, would you like to go for a slide on the snow?

Then I was so touched by two monster helpers, our Tom Fleming and Andy Sokoloski.  One day, believe it or not, Beth, Rose, and myself took a spur trail and got lost for about an hour.  We have walkie talkies and radioed ahead.  Next thing, Tom and Andy come striding to our rescue.  Tom even takes my back pack until we catch the others who were waiting for us.  Thanks, Tom.

Andy also saved me numerous times with his stream crossing sandals.   The past years the streams have always been low.  So I don’t bring my sandals.  Stupid!   I borrowed Andy’s sandals 8-10 times.  Thanks, Andy.

Want to take a snow slide with me, Cory & Shonda?  

And then there is Beth.  First of all, as always she comes out of her tent in the cold morning before sun is up all smiles and cheer.  What a joy.  But she also did something for me that I reflected had never happened in all the many years I have camped in Tanzania & Kenya, with the Jesuits, and now with our people. 

As I walked into camp late one afternoon, Beth, asks me if I would like help putting up my tent.  I was so touched.  Sure thing, I accepted.  She even did it twice and probably set an example such that Paul & Carrie made the same offer our last night in the wilderness.  I also know you carried some of my food stuff.  Thanks, Beth.

Hey, Buddy, how do you do that with your legs?  Wow, if I tried that, it would take surgery to get me out, or a mortician.

And Rose.  Every year I have always carried two bear canisters so that folks who have a hard time with the weight of the dinner or cheese or Jack Daniels, they would not have to worry.  This year I started out as usual.  Guess what.  I just did not have this year my usual energy and push.

Rose saw this the first day and what does she do behind my back.  She asks everybody in the camp the first night to help me out.   So one minute I have two full canisters.  The next the canisters are almost empty.  If she & everybody had not done that, I would have had a tough time.  As it was, I was always the last person into the evening camp and into the trail head on the last day.  And guess who was always there giving me cura personalis, personal care!  Thanks so much, Rose Banzhaf. 

Is poor Beth trying to hide?  While I tell stories about her?

Who gives you personal care?

To whom do you give personal care?

 Anybody claim these derelicts?  Like Paul & Carrie, Rose & Beth & Andy,  Ray & Matt & Tom & an Old Geezer?  Looking north up Matterhorn Canyon.

Readings:

Genesis  18, 20-32,  What if there are ten there?  For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.

Psalm 138,  Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

Colossians 2, 12-14,  You were buried with him in baptism.

Luke 11, 1-13, Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find.

John celebrating.

Observations on the readings:

The first reading from Genesis is a familiar story about God’s mercy and forgiveness, how it is all encompassing and present to all. More in my homily about this.

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians is his letter to the Christian community at Colossae (in present day Turkey), telling them to remember that, as followers of Jesus, they are made new and are called to forgive one another, called to peace and thankfulness. Remember, I said last week I was choosing a more inspirational part of this letter for us to hear (Chapter 3, 12-15)

In the Gospel reading from Luke we will hear about prayer. The prayer Jesus
taught that we are familiar with, and say in Mass, is in Matthew, Chapter 6.
Today’s version in Luke is shortened. Jesus’ parable of knocking on a friend’s
door is about God’s constant mercy.    

Offertory with Cecily and Chris, Sandra, Emelia and Olivia.

Homily

From the reading in Genesis, I want to talk today about mercy and forgiveness. In particular I want to talk about what I think makes it possible for us to forgive one another. Forgiveness requires first that I put away self-justification where I put myself above another, where I collect points that make me ‘look better’ than another, especially one whom I judge has offended me, hurt me (‘I am right; I am justified in my hurt’). In order to forgive, I give up the quest ‘to be right’. [This is
where that saying fits, ‘you can be right’ or ‘you can have love in your life.’]
If I need to ‘look better’ or ‘be right’ (self-justified, self-righteous),
forgiveness becomes difficult, even unlikely.

Some of the communion helpers, Patricia, Claire, Sandra, and Mary Ellen.

The second requirement for sharing forgiveness is accepting what I take as an offense, a hurt, as possible in the universe of my life. This means in the whole universe of possible happenings, I accept that this hurt, this offense, is possible, this can happen to me. If I treat an offense or hurt as unthinkable or unacceptable to me in my universe, I disallow it as possible and keep it at a distance, away
from me, therefore not forgivable.

Bethany, Shondra, and Ray with new choir members.

The third requirement to forgive another is mercy. Mercy is the quality attributed to God in today’s reading from Genesis about God and the people of Sodom. The quality or spirit of mercy makes forgiveness possible, even predictable. As we listened to the story about God and the people of Sodom, didn’t we predict as each question was asked by Abraham, that God’s response would be mercy?

We are called to have mercy and to forgive, even giving up the safety of waiting to first be forgiven by another (when there is mutual hurt). We are called to forgive. On the other hand we are totally accepted wherever we are in the process of learning mercy and forgiveness in our relationships.  Sometimes it may seem easier to forgive another than to ask for forgiveness from the other. Maybe that’s because giving forgiveness seems to put us in the ‘good guy’ role. Asking for forgiveness can put us in a more vulnerable position, not knowing if we will receive mercy and forgiveness from the other.

 So, my questions today are:   

Am I ready to forgive hurts by another,
especially from those close to me?

Am I ready to accept myself, even if I am not
yet fully capable of forgiving?

Am I able to ask for
forgiveness from another?

Readings: Jeremiah 17, 5-8; Psalm 1, Blessed are They who hope in the Lord; 1 Corinthians 15, 12-20; Luke 6, 17-26.

Jeremiah:

Who: one of the Big 3 Prophets with Isaiah & Ezekiel, mostly because of the size of their works (52 chapters in Jeremiah).  Born 2-3 miles north of Jerusalem to a landed family where he had a happy childhood.  Despite this, Jeremiah is called the “Weeping Prophet,” because so much of his work is woeful & sad. 

Unlike Isaiah who embraced his call from God, Jeremiah resisted.  He did not want to say what he saw needed to be said.  Namely, the people’s behavior in Jerusalem was bad after ca. 400 years of not being invaded.  Because of his statements he was rejected by the people and the leaders, beaten, put in the stocks, thrown in a well to die, and ultimately put in prison by the Babylonians. 

They eventually released him and he went to Egypt and most likely died there.

Date: 600.  Easy to remember.  Jeremiah lived before & during the Babylonian captivity with Nebuchadnezzar, the leader.  The Captivity took place mostly 600-550 before Christ.

Message Today: classic line, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.”  Instead you trust in God.

Sources: John Shelby Spong, Origins of the Bible, XIV; Wikipedia, Liturgy, St. Louis U.  

St. Valentine:

Time: ca. 250 C.E.  Actually 3 named Valentinius, 1 bishop, 1 priest, 1 who knows. All martyrs.  Note this is before Constantine officialized Christianity, 313.

2 Legends:

1.  Rome did not allow soldiers to marry because the authorities thought single soldiers fought better.  Valentinius criticized the policy.  He was put in jail & killed.

2.  He or another was killed because of being a Christian.  He or another fell in love with the jailer's daughter & before he died left her a note, "from your Valentine."

Note:  Feb. 15 was a pagan feast of fertility and and a celebration of the beginning of spring, Lupercalia.  Pope Galasius in 496 established a St. Valentine day one day earlier, i.e., Feb. 14 (as a way of moving attention away from the pagan feast?).

Custom about wedding rings?  Wearing a wedding ring on the 4th finger, left hand, dates back to Ancient Egypt.  It was believed that the vein of love ran from this finger directly to the heart. 

Sources: Huffinton Post & KHTS News, Jerome McDaniel, Santa Clarita, LA, CA.

St. Valentine Day Massacre:  1929, Lincoln Park section of Chicago.  Al Capone’s Southside Italian Gang vs. Bugsie Moran’s Northside Irish Gang, bootlegging during Prohibition.  Capone’s Italian gang lured 7 of the Irish Gang to a garage on the morning of Valentine’s Day and shot them with 70 rounds from 2 Thompson machine guns.   Source: Wikipedia

70 Years & Valentine's Day

On this Valentine’s Day I would like to talk about what it is like to be 70.  I am told by my seniors that once you hit these stratospheric age levels you start reflecting upon the past, and especially on what life would have been like if only. 

If only I had accepted that invitation to work in Brazil for a couple of years.  If only I had gotten my graduate degree.  If only I had not worked so hard so I could have played with my kids & family.  If I had taken care of my health.  And so on. 

So I have been reflecting on my past.  You all know me and I am always looking back focusing on the gifts and blessings of my day, my week, my years.  I am basically grateful for lots of elements in my life.  It has been and is an adventure.

I see one thing I wish I had done differently, but I see a handful of things that I would have been disappointed had I not chosen to do them.  I got four of them and you have probably heard me mention them.

I would really be disappointed had I not chosen to join the Jesuits in ’58 and become a priest.  This took place even though my parents were put out with my decision.  I was all booked in to going to Notre Dame.  I also was motivated a lot by fear of going to hell if I rejected God's invitation to be a priest.

I would likewise be disappointed if I had not accepted the Jesuit invitation in the 70’s to go work in East Africa.  I was lonely there on occasion, but it was an adventure that I would grieve over if I had missed it. 

My marriage with Rosemary is an event I cannot imagine myself doing without.  The transition was rocky when I got suspended by the diocese and kicked out of the Jesuits, but it has given my so much new life.  Moreover, I might have no life if I had not married Rosemary.

Finally, I do not know what I would have done if I had not responded to the request from you people to continue celebrating our Sunday Masses.  I remember thinking to myself before we finally took the step.  This could get rather confrontational.  And it hasn’t. 

The once thing I regret is something I learned while I was recuperating from recycling my left hip.  I was humbled by the care and affirmation of so many people.  I have not cared for and affirmed more positively the people whom I love.  I have not shown it.  On this Valentine’s Day I pledge to you folks that I will show this from now on.

And you?  What might you regret when you reach 70?

Picture 1:  Mass begins

Picture 2:  Our Father

Picture 3:  Maggie

Picture 4:  Rosemary with Cole (guess who was Jesus in the Nativity Drama)

Readings: Isaiah 50, 4-9; Psalm 116, I will walk before the Lord, in the Land of the Living; James 2, 14-18; Mark 8, 27-35

Isaiah: 

Date of Composition:

A picture of the time span:

        1. Solomon (he of Wisdom, the temple builder, 700 wives, & 300 mistresses–if he really existed) dies ca. 900-1000 BCE

        2. the Hebrew kingdom divides into 2 parts, the north, Israel (Galilee), the south, Judah.

        3.  Assyria destroys Israel and obliterates the 10 Hebrew tribes located there, ca. 725.

        4.  Babylon carries into captivity the Hebrews of Judah, ca. 590.

Contemporary scholars conjecture that this work could have been composed over a period of 400 years, i.e., 700-300.  It obviously begins by predicting disasters.  They happen,  the 2 big tragedies in Jewish history up to the Holocaust, the Assyrian destruction & the Babylonian Captivity.

Author (s): obviously it was composed by numerous people.  Isaiah himself is considered behind chapters 1-39.  In fact, line 1 identifies Isaiah as the author of the ideas.

What is it about:

Chapters 1-39: predict doom for the Hebrews because they have not been faithful to their one god, YHWH.

Chapters 40-55: called Isaiah 2, this & the remaining chapters (56-66) are called The Book of Consolation.  They try to assure the people who are now in exile that YHWH will restore them to their former glory & peace.  In fact, in chapter 45 the composer even mentions the name of Cyrus, the king of the Persians who defeats Babylon & sends the Hebrews back to Jerusalem.  So the composer knew of Cyrus and a date can be narrowed down.

This Isaiah 2 section presents 4 suffering servant songs, #3 being our selection today.  Jews see the servant to be the Hebrew people/nation.  Christians see the servant to be Christ.  Isaiah 2 is considered maybe the most influential O.T. book, especially on the New Testament.  On Isaiah 2 Mark built much of his gospel, especially the story of the crucifixion.

Handel's Messiah uses Isaiah 2 for its lyrics.

Chapter 56-66: more assurances of a return to peace & glory.

Our selection: Isaiah 2.  The suffering servant is talking about the abuse he is experiencing.  Then he proclaims, 'YHWH will help me & I won't be put to shame.' 

Take up Your Cross and Follow

As most of you know, the last Saturday in August I joined Bill Hammond & 14 thousand plus other nuts to ride in the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred (as in miles).  Folks, it was ecstatic. For me participatory athletic events like this have an elixir, a kinetic energy that touches me all the way down to my toes.  In fact, for the second year in a row, as I rode down the ramp of a bridge and headed toward the dramatic finish arch, I had tears of consolation in my eyes.  I am humbled that I can actually be part of the event.

As much as I was intoxicated by the over all event, two smaller happenings moved me.  Both occurred in the latter 50 mile section, the section where I know I am more wako than I thought.  I had pulled into one of the marvelous rest stops around mile 70.  There were tons of riders & volunteers all around.  I went over to a chair to rest a few moments.  Near me was a group of about 6 guys in their late 20's, very athletic and full of personality and energy.  One of their guys was sitting about one seat over from me and he was teasing back & forth with the other guys.  I look over at him and he's got no left foot.  I am stunned.  Lying on the ground was his artificial foot and he was massaging his stump.  So, what am I complaining about!

Later I am pedaling along and clumps of riders are passing me.  I see ahead of me a young guy whom I just might pass, hooray.  I get up behind him, say, "On your left," and begin to pass him.  I look over at him as I am coming along side and he has no arms.  He has metal prosthetics.  I gulp.  Suddenly I am embarrassed to pass him. 

I talk about this because it feeds right into something that is mentioned in Mark, a paragraph that has great potential for healthy living, and for unhealthy living.  Mark mentions that to follow Jesus I have to deny myself and take up my cross.  I got to lose my life to save it.  Hey, I don't like denying myself and I am not attracted to the idea of taking up a cross.  Look what happened to him.

Folks, we have infinite demand here again.  The other side being infinite acceptance.  Let me touch three points, a little history and an explanation of the unhealthy and healthy approach to these ideas.

First, the history.  When Mark wrote you can bet he was under the influence of the philosophy of dualism.  That is, all the world is divided into two, bad-good, flesh-spirit, body-soul.  To enhance the growth of the spirit & soul, the flesh & body has to be disciplined.  In fact, basic appetites & attractions must not only be disciplined but hammered into quiescence. 

Which leads to the second point, the unhealthy & healthy living.  It is easy to see how a person, influenced by this philosophy could be hard on himself, in fact, could do damage to himself.  It is called masochism.  Spiritual practices that mirrored this philosophy were part of my early Jesuit training.

In order to detach ourselves from our attachment to our families, our love of our families, we young Jesuits were never allowed to return home for a visit, not for Christmas, Easter, anything.  I remember one summer vacation floating down the Calcacieu River in a pirogue in s.w. Louisiana with a classmate of mine, and he told me that a few miles away in New Orleans his brother was getting married at that very time. We thought that was normal.  We had to extinguish our desires.  This is how the idea of denying myself can be unhealthy or at least just unnecessary.  I have told you about the little rope scourges we were expected to use on ourselves especially on Fridays. 

Thirdly, on the healthy side, I have my two handicapped guys in the HHH.  I would propose that to live a healthy life, to develop a wholeness in myself, to aim to be a Renaissance person, I need to focus on four targets, the intellectual, the physical, and the spiritual/psychological.  This involves denying myself and self discipline, it involves moderation.  I am my cross.  The reward is contentment & peace.

The fourth element in wholeness is you got to live for others, like James' reading brings up.  Jesuit talks about being men for others.  I specialize in aiding the underprivileged.  I do it not for me but for them.  In giving, however, I am richer. 

Those two guys I encountered in the HHH have taken up their crosses, they have denied themselves and I would suggest that they are more content and peaceful than if they had stayed home watching TV.

Your cross?  What is it?

Picture 1:  Mass with Kevin & T.J.

Picture 2:  The Choir with Celeste, Marianne, & Ray

Picture 3:  Birthdays & Anniversaries, Theresa McClure, Doug, Teresa, & Taylor Read, and Chloe's mom Claire (24)

Picture 4:  The Donut Shoppe with Chloe surrounded by Frank, Jackie, her mom, Claire, and grand dad Tom

Readings:  

 2 Kings, 4, 42-44, Give it to the people to eat.

Psalm 145, The hand of the Lord feeds us, he answers all our needs.

Ephesians 4, 1-6, I a prisoner for the Lord.

John 6, 1-15, They filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments.

The Team

Introduction to the readings: 

To set the stage for todays readings, the Jewish religious feasts were celebrated in conjunction with harvest festivals.  For example, the feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits occur over a period of eight days when the barley was in the fields waiting for its first sheaves to be offered in thanksgiving to God. 

The Offertory Team, Charlotte, Harry, & Geri

Seven weeks later the Jews celebrated Pentecost at the beginning of summer when the wheat in the fields was waiting for its sheaves to be offered in thanksgiving to God. The feast of Tabernacles was the last feast of three feasts celebrated in the fall when the dates, figs and olives were harvested.  The thanksgivings given to God for the harvests were from the heart!

Cole

Our first reading from 2^nd Kings is an event in the life of Elisha, the prophet. The prophets Elijah and Elisha did not write books; they proclaimed the one god of all, Yahweh. They chastised the Jewish Kings who called themselves Jews but worshipped idols. 

Leo

Elisha is the head of a brotherhood of 100 prophets who are sitting with him in this first Reading.  Our second reading is a letter from Paul to the Ephesians addressing all those who welcome and live the good news of Jesus Christ. They are, with Christ, one body.

Emmett with his mom & dad, Amanda & Ben

The Gospel of John: 6:1-15    

If you have a reference Bible and looked up our first reading in 2^nd Kings 4:42-44 you would find in the margin, John 6:1-15, our gospel reading. Recall that the good news of Jesus, the Messiah, fulfills the expectation of his coming given within the Law, Prophets and Psalms [hence our Liturgy of the Word].  A non-descript man brings twenty barley loaves and a few ears of corn as first fruits to Elisha the prophet, a man of God.

Mike

There was a famine in the land; the man is giving thanks to God through Elisha.  Elisha welcomes the gift and tells a servant to set it before his 100 pupils.  His servant says that he can’t, for it won’t be enough to feed them. Elisha replies that the gift is from god. They will be able to be filled and have some left over.  The 100 have heard this, and they accept in thanksgiving this man’s gifts and their teacher’s wisdom.  They will eat each bite slowly, with continuing thanks, saving enough for Elisha and his servant to eat also.

Jean with John, the July coffee team

In our gospel reading Jesus, too, receives a gift of first fruits—five barley loaves and two fish. We know that it’s a gift of first fruits for we are told that ‘Passover is near,’ the grain is still in the fields. Andrew is like the servant in the reading from 2^nd Kings, saying, ‘What good are these for so many?  I’ve told you before that the stories within each of the four gospels that seem to be about a multiplication of loaves or fish, aren’t what they seem to be.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Chris cuts the Ragbrai identification bracelet worn by riders. It gives the wearer discounts and free entrance to venues.

These parables anticipate what will happen much later, and they do happen. The loaves in these parables are symbols for the twelve apostles.  We are told here, that from the 5 loaves, 5000 are going to be fed; from five of the twelve to whom Jesus gives this mission, as Church, to feed the Jews with the good news. But, more importantly, there are 12 baskets filled with leftovers—indistinguishable from the anticipated twelve, who will have received the Holy Spirit! The church has grown by leaps and bounds.  It happens just this way in Luke Acts 3-4 after the twelve receive the Holy Spirit!  In thanksgiving we are called to recognize with one another, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ present within and among us.   We are his body!

Early morning heading south amid glorious countryside. Ragbrai: Register's Annual Grat Bike Ride across Iowa, this year about 450 miles over 7 days with ca. 12,000 riders. A Norman Rockwall painting, a parade of color & spirit through quaint & beautiful Iowa towns filled with people overflowing with hospitality.

"Welcome in" says Georgie.

Readings:  

 Deuteronomy 6, 2-6,  You shall love your God.

 Psalm 18,  I love you Lord, my strength

 Hebrews 7, 23-28,  The law appoints men subject to weakness to be priests.

 Mark 12, 28-34,   Which is the first of all the commandments?

Jan our special hostess at her welcome to communion table.

Deuteronomy observations:

1.  The work is the last of the 5 books of the Pentateuch, following Genesis,  Exodus, Leviticus, & Numbers.

2.  The work is organized as a series of addresses given by Moses to the people of Israel in the land of Moab, where they had stopped at the end of the long wilderness journey and were about to enter and occupy the land of the Canaanites.

3.  The theme of the book is that God has saved and blessed his chosen people, whom he loves.  They are to remember this, and love and obey him.

4. Joshua is commissioned as the next leader of the people, i.e., God's (Yahweh's) people 

Buddy reads our Blessing of The Candles.

Pittsburgh

Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, worked as a primary care physician, was deeply active with HIV victims especially when it started, infamous for his bow ties.

Cecil Rosenthal, 59, and his brother David, 54.  Cecil was outgoing & gregarious while David was more self contained.

Richard Gottfried, 65 neighborhood dentist, married with a Catholic wife.

While her brother reads The Blessing, Zoe lights our candles.

Irving Youger, 69, when you walked into the synagogue, Irving was the first person who would welcome you and help you find your seat.  He had been a little league coach and a real estate agent.

Daniel Stein, 71, and retired.

Joyce Fienberg, 75, a research specialist at the U. of Pittsburgh, petite with huge personality.

The Offertory Team, Marlene, Bill, & Cindy, all Ekes family.

Bernice Simon, 84, and her husband Sylvan, 86, considered the sweetest couple who, 62 years ago, wedded in this same synagogue.

Melvin Wax, 88, full of jokes, a passionate Pittsburgh Pirates fan, was always in a good mood.

Sez Leo, "Welcome in, Folks."

Rose Mallinger, 97, spry, vibrant, full of life, sharpest wit, with her family being everything in her life.

Judah Samet, 80, Hungarian, was in the parking lot, saw the shooter.  He survived the Nazi holocaust as a child of 6.

 Even with the massacre of Pittsburgh, we will give thanks this month.