Tim Madigan

That last time I talked to Fred Rogers was on the telephone, a few weeks after Sept. 11, 2001. I was very curious then to know what a person of his spiritual insight might make of such evil.

He was certainly shocked and saddened by the terrorist attacks, but there was a deep calm to his voice, too. He chose to focus on what his mother had told him when he was a child.

“In times of trouble, look for the helpers,” Nancy McFeely Rogers had told her son. “The helpers are always there.”

So Fred talked about the people who lined up to give blood, and the expressions of concern from around the world, and the young violinist from Juilliard who played for New York rescue workers until she could no long raise her arms.

That night, before saying goodbye, we prayed together the prayer of St. Francis.

“Dear God make me an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.”

With the news out of Colorado today, I know that Fred would have felt deep sadness himself at what can only be described as evil. But I also hear his voice. “The only thing evil can’t stand is forgiveness.” And the admonition of his mother, “Look for the helpers.”

Many people don’t want to hear things like that today. There is so much anger, such an understandable desire to lash out. If it was someone I loved who died, I might be one of those who felt that way. But those feelings will bring noone back to life. And you can bet, as the postmortems begin in Aurora, hate of some sort will have played a role in the formation of the young man who did this terrible act.

More hatred will just compound the tragedy. More love will help with the healing. I’m pretty sure Fred would agree with that.