How do I just get up and go about my daily affairs like nothing ever happened. Although I was not impacted directly by the bomb blasts or the gunfire, don't I have a responsibility as a follower of Christ to do something? Why does my prayer seem so feeble in the midst of such utter destruction and carnage? Helplessness is probably what I feel the most right now.
We were created with free will. Unfortunately, all of us make choices from time to time to use our free will to go against the commandments of God. The end result is not good under any circumstances, but the grief caused to families when "Thou Shall Not Kill" is ignored is immense. I can't even imagine the physical wounds being endured today from the many injured. The emotional and psychological distress must be monumental for the survivors of the attacks and for all of the family members and friends as well.
Someone asked the question today, "Is this a chastisement from God?" There are differing viewpoints on the philosophical and theological components of this question. I do not claim to know the mind of God in such matters. However, salvation history gives us plenty to ponder. Whether or not this is a chastisement from God for our sinfulness can be debated. One thing is for certain. It is time for all of us to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.