Yesterday I attended the memorial service for Reema Samaha, one of the 32 innocent Virginia Tech students who were killed on Monday. I never knew Reema, but I knew her older brother Omar. Omar went to school with me in elementary school at St. Timothy's, in high school at Paul VI, and then followed me to Virginia Tech.
The service was back home at my childhood church, St. Timothy's. There were so many people there that I did not get a seat, but I didn't mind. It was great to see so many people supporting the Samaha family and the Hokie Nation.
Reema's father made a great comment in his closing remarks. He said that the name Samaha in Lebanese means "forgiveness." The media cameras from all over the globe were watching as he explained the Samaha name, and then went on to pray for the soul of Seung-Hui Cho, the 23-year old student who killed the 32 others. He also prayed for the Cho family as they grieve for the loss of their loved one.
It struck me as one of the most moving things I've heard this week out of all the speeches that I've listened to. No one before Mr. Samaha had expressed any concern over the killer's soul at all. After he said it, I thought "Of course, Seung is a human being as well." In that time of great family grief, he gave the world a valuable lesson in forgiveness.
I have never been more impressed with someone's character in my life.
The service was back home at my childhood church, St. Timothy's. There were so many people there that I did not get a seat, but I didn't mind. It was great to see so many people supporting the Samaha family and the Hokie Nation.
Reema's father made a great comment in his closing remarks. He said that the name Samaha in Lebanese means "forgiveness." The media cameras from all over the globe were watching as he explained the Samaha name, and then went on to pray for the soul of Seung-Hui Cho, the 23-year old student who killed the 32 others. He also prayed for the Cho family as they grieve for the loss of their loved one.
It struck me as one of the most moving things I've heard this week out of all the speeches that I've listened to. No one before Mr. Samaha had expressed any concern over the killer's soul at all. After he said it, I thought "Of course, Seung is a human being as well." In that time of great family grief, he gave the world a valuable lesson in forgiveness.
I have never been more impressed with someone's character in my life.
1 comment:
Frank, i really like what you're doing with your blog.
Your handling of the VA Tech nightmare is particularly impressive.
Keep up the good work.
Coughter
Post a Comment