Dec 8th

Sgt. Mark Renninger Officer Ronald Owens Officer Greg Richards Officer Tina Griswold

Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A day for rejoicing and giving our gratitute to not only God for making Mary, but to Mary for not saying "You know, no thanks, i'm good as i am" when the angel appeared before her, informing her of God's intentions for her life. An awe-inspiring day should you hold Mary in high honour and believe as Catholics do.

However, today, in Western WA and to many people in different parts of our country it will be a difficult day. Today will be a day to mourn the officers brutally killed for no good reason other than just because they were in a police uniform.

I'm struggling today...it's an odd feeling knowing we will be celebrating these two events within hours of each other.

I am having a hard time because if i choose to believe in the history and the idea of the Immaculate Conception, then shouldn't i believe that "everything happens for a reason." It's just that idea that i am struggling with today as are many people. (Now i am not one of these people that believe ferverently that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Seriously, it wasn't God that forced those cookies in my mouth that caused me to gain 10 lbs.) That being said then, what was "the reason" these 4 honourable and hard working officers, and more importantly decent, compassionate human beings, needed to be taken from the Earth--especially in such a heinous way, from their family and friends and their successful careers defining the people of Lakewood?! Why would God allow such a beautiful creation, being any person--but one in fact in this instance named Maurice Clemmons fall so far from grace and turn into such a dispicable human and do something so evil!! And there's where free will enters into the equation, but really?! Is it a gift that we mere humans can be trusted with???

I know, i know....all things i will find out at the end of my journey, should i make it on the other side of St. Peter, eh? Or maybe i won't. Maybe that is info that God keeps strictly under his cap whether you are a resident of Heaven or....well, definitely if you are not, it's understood you won't, eh?

Here at 8am, we'll be celebrating Mass regarding the creation of Mary and the intricate planning that God had to perform in order to create a completely sinless Son who would be worthy of such power. Then at 1pm, we'll be celebrating the funerals of these officers listed above who were readying themselves for work at a local coffee establishment and didn't know they would lose their lives in an ambush that day.

It's hard to wonder about that part of God's plan, you know?

And if you have a few spare moments today, please read the obituaries of the officers above and pray for them--for their families' peace, especially their children, and for law enforcement in our entire nation. Many officers in our area will be on edge for many, many years to come. Also for the misguided soul of Maurice Clemmons, who now with his death, hasn't another chance to make that U-turn and come to terms with the gravity of his life's choices and fully repent, and all those family members and friends who were so quick to help him elude the police and are now facing possible murder and accessory to murder charges, which truthfully speaking, are the least of their worries.

It's all so very tragic!