I never was much for horror stories. My limit for creepy stops at The Addams Family, but, I bit the proverbial silver bullet, and read Jennifer The Damned, by Karen Ullo. It’s a one-of-a-kind horror story.
Jennifer — an orphaned girl, adopted by religious sisters, and a vampire to boot — is a timely read, especially with teen vampire stories being today’s trend. If the thought of fanged creatures makes your blood run cold, simply alter your perspective.
Ultimately, the story is about people trapped with addictions, tendencies so strong that they bring enslavement to the bearer and serious harm all around. Jennifer is a victim of her early childhood experiences and “genetic” tendencies. Think of a girl, unloved and misguided, put down by her peers and struggling to understand herself. For a few years, she was surrounded by moral human beings who were devoted to her, but her inclinations and impulsive behaviors, combined with external pressures, took their toll on the girl. She lived in turmoil, torn between right and wrong. She had no peace.
In our culture, so many young people are true victims, not of vampires, of course, but of neglect and negativity. Think about it – did we get to choose the adults in our lives, or have a say in the sometimes-not-so-good influences when we were children? Sure, it’s easier for a kid from a dysfunctional home to fall through the cracks and end up in the wrong crowd, but ones from traditional homes are not exempt.
A large number of today’s teen and young adults are represented by Jennifer. Take a look at some of our youth today — zombified by ghastly mentors, hoodwinked by suicide-laced music, hypnotized by high speed, hyped up technology. Death and despair embalms them. It’s no wonder that “life sucks” is the mantra. (Vampire pun intended.)
Why is this happening in our “civilized” society? For one thing, being a teen has never been easy: a time of transition, a time of bold and daring thoughts, crippled by bouts of helplessness and hopelessness. And then there’s the “abortion attitude”. Why would a kid have confidence in his self-worth, his contribution to society, when he knows that so many of his innocent peers are not even given a chance for their first breath.
Pope John Paul II, (Evangelium Vitae) called our times the Culture of Death, a result of the “great cosmic disturbance and a massive conflict between the forces of good and the forces of evil.” The fight is real. Teens feel it.
So many are trapped by fear, despair and loneliness, scarred by self-centered adults, gasping for breath in a culture void of hope. So many are where they are and not by their own choosing — and yes — ultimately they must make the right choice, and this is where grace comes in.
Believe it: Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. Be actively compassionate and continually praying for today’s youth. Remember, everybody used to be somebody’s baby.
