Texas school shooting, one week later: Faith leaders share anguish, hope for the future
From faith leaders a week after the Texas shooting: comfort, prayers and cries to turn to God
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the wake of the Texas school shooting in Uvalde one week ago today, in which a gunman took the lives of 19 children and two teachers inside Robb Elementary School, faith leaders across the nation have continued to share their outrage about the massacre.
They are also sharing prayers, hope and messages of healing with Fox News Digital.
"What a tragic day for America," said Rabbi Pinchas Taylor of Plantation, Florida, to Fox News Digital, "when the lives of precious elementary school children are taken in a massacre."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He called the 18-year-old gunman's act last Tuesday one of "despicable evil."
TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: LIVE UPDATES
The rabbi also said, "There is a widespread sickness in our society that we cannot accept as a new normal."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}‘Broadly engage in honest soul-searching’
"As a nation," added Rabbi Taylor, "we must broadly engage in honest soul-searching to get to the root of this insanity."
A woman cries as she leave the Uvalde Civic Center following a shooting earlier in the day at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
"We must have real, actionable conversations about mental health and gun violence that are not merely extensions of political ideologies," said the rabbi.
Taylor said as well, "For the families of those lost, there are simply no words."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING EVOKES FAITH LEADERS' REPLY: WE MUST PUT ‘PRAYERS INTO ACTION’
"May God Almighty," he added, "bring comfort to the grieving families and aid our country on the path toward healing its core."
‘Bring power' of gospel ‘to a grieving world’
Jason Yates, CEO of My Faith Votes based in Plano, Texas, told Fox News Digital, "In times like this, people of faith must face the evil in front of us and make a choice."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Flowers are placed on a makeshift memorial in front of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022. (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
Yates said, "Now more than ever, the body of Christ must answer the question, ‘What shall I do?’ — and recognize that our faith requires us to take action."
"This is not a time to grow weary in doing good or to grapple for power," he also said.
"This is not a time to grow weary in doing good."
"It is a time to bring the power of the gospel and the good of our faith into a grieving world."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DOES TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR FAITH, HIGHER PURPOSE IN KIDS' LIVES?
"Apart from us," added Yates, "our communities will not truly know the values we hold dear: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control."
‘Call on God’
Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in California and Hawaii told Shannon Bream of Fox News Channel last week, "The first question that comes to our mind is, 'Why did God let this happen?'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mourners visit a memorial for a victim of Tuesday's mass shooting in the City of Uvalde Town Square on May 26, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
He said that "we should pivot instead to the ‘what’ — as in, ‘What should I do?’ And more specifically, ‘What should I turn to?’"
The answer, said Pastor Laurie, is "call on God."
FAITH LEADERS REACT TO TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: ‘ACT OF PURE EVIL’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Sunday, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited Uvalde, Texas.
The president suggested to a local lawmaker that the federal government might provide funds to raze Robb Elementary School.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He said, 'I'm not going away. I'm going to bring you resources. We're going to look to raze that school, build a new one,'" state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, told local news outlet KSAT.
Paul Best of Fox News Digital contributed reporting to this article.