Love and hope in the midst of tragedy.

All of us at Penn State Cru were shocked and saddened by the horrific events that are alleged to have occurred at Penn State. Our thoughts are with the victims, as we pray that they are able to heal, and find redemption and hope in the love of Jesus, who promises to bind up the brokenhearted and comfort all who mourn.

As members of the Penn State community, we have always felt privileged to be able to say, "We Are Penn State." In moments such as this, we think it's important to recognize that just as we embrace the glory of Penn State, we must also embrace the shame. By that we do not mean that we accept the guilt of the perpetrator of these alleged crimes, but that we resist the temptation to deflect or ignore the shame and pain of what happened within our community.

As part of that process, we would encourage you to find ways to contribute to the healing and prevention of sexual violence. The Proud to be a Penn Stater campaign is an excellent way to do so.

We believe it's even more important to use this tragedy as an opportunity for self-reflection. Much has been said about the moral and legal obligations of those involved in this tragedy, but we would encourage you to look at it from a different angle: love.

It is our hope that this tragedy could be a turning point in the Penn State community and beyond, whereby many are moved to love by experiencing a love greater than any other. The Director of Penn State Cru, Tim Henderson, reflected on the relevance of love to this tragedy, and in our own lives, in two talks that he delivered in the wake of the allegations. We'd encourage you to take some time to listen to or read these talks, and reflect on how they might apply to you, to Penn State, and beyond.

A Deficiency of Love; Delivered on Nov. 10, 2011

An Abundance of Love; Delivered on Nov. 17, 2011

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