Joel and Victoria Osteen on coping with tragedy

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," December 17, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONSIGNOR ROBERT WEISS, ST. ROSE OF LIMA CHURCH: There is it no answer to why this happened today. We just have to work together and stay together and try to be a comfort and consolation for each other. These parents lost their hearts today and try to reach out to them and show them some care and concern has got to be our top priority.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: That was Monsignor Robert Weiss from St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, Connecticut. He is among the many clergy members who that community will turn to in the days and weeks and months ahead as they search for answers.

And with just one week until Christmas, that task is going to be very painful. Joining me now to talk about the role of faith that will play in the healing process, Joel and Victoria Osteen of the world renowned Lakewood Church in Houston.

Guys, good to see you. Merry Christmas to both of you. How are you doing?

JOEL OSTEEN, LAKEWOOD CHURCH: Great. Thank you. Good to be here.

HANNITY: I said this in the beginning of the show. I don't know words -- you can't write words to help parents who lose kids like this. I mean, I don't know. I would never recover. Nothing you could ever say to me that would help me.

JOEL OSTEEN: It has to be the grace of God to get you through it. That's why, you know, we deal with situations like this -- not this tragic -- in a big church all the time and you feel at a loss. All I can tell you is God has you in the palm of his hand and just turn to him. And it's interesting even some of the families we've talked to, you know, they feel that peace, they are still sad and it's still tragic, but God has a way of getting you through these things.

VICTORIA OSTEEN, LAKEWOOD CHURCH: It is going to take time. It's going to take a lot of time. You know, being that it is a week before Christmas, but you know, right now like you said words can't express. You can't tell anyone anything, but you know, just being there. You don't need to say anything. Just having people around you that love you and knowing the nation is supporting you has got to be a lot of help.

HANNITY: I know that we're supposed to as Christians forgive. I don't think I would be that forgiving. I'm trying to put my -- it's very hard. I can't imagine this pain because I think this tops the list. You lose your child and someone kills your kid. I don't know how you get to that point. I know what Jesus did on the cross, but I am not Jesus as a lot of people know. I am serious, but I don't know how you do that.

JOEL OSTEEN: Well, I think, Sean, you've never been in that type of situation so you don't have the grace, you can't understand and fathom that. A couple of parents I was listening to today, they say are you angry. They said we haven't gone there, we're too sad. One lady said I think it's because God doesn't allow us to become so overwhelmed. She said if I was angry too, I would lose my mind. So I think God gives you that grace. I couldn't fathom it myself but --

HANNITY: There are fazes of grief obviously. At some point, that anger face is going to kick in and you dealt with this though in your ministry, correct? You've dealt with parents that have lost their kids.

VICTORIA OSTEEN: Yes, it is very unnatural. You don't expect to lose your child, and it is. You go through the pain. The thing that you can't do is get stuck in one area. Hopefully they will find the help, they'll find the assistance and the support to move through the process.

Because when you think about it. If that child could come back, that child would not want their parents stuck. You know, that child is in the palm of God's hand. You know, my encouragement to the parents is it is hard, and could take years and years, but if you want to get close to your child, get close to God. Your child is with God.

JOEL OSTEEN: That's good.

HANNITY: You married up, Pastor.

JOEL OSTEEN: I know, she's always great. That's why I always bring her.

HANNITY: I give you a hard time, I say, you're still with him? I have known you guys for a long time.

JOEL OSTEEN: Yes, 25 years.

HANNITY: I can get away with being a pain in the neck.

What is the hardest thing you've ever hard to counsel people on?

JOEL OSTEEN: This and the death of a child or teenager get killed in an automobile accident. Just gone like that. There are no words to say. You've just got to mourn with those that mourn and weep with those that weep. We tell them too Sean, I think it's important, you have to take it a day at a time.

HANNITY: I think being a pastor -- and obviously you are in the ministry as well. And first responders and you are seeing these -- and how to you compartmentalize. How do you do that?

JOEL OSTEEN: You know, it's not always easy. You know, I pray for people at the altar every week and a lot of them come down to the church because they are being treated at the cancer center and some of them are not going to make it. (INAUDIBLE) It's a great place. You know, my heart breaks with them. I will go back there and weep before the sermon.

VICTORIA OSTEEN: Mourn with those who mourn. You know, you celebrate with those that celebrate and you just try to be a support.

JOEL OSTEEN: I think the thing too, Sean, is we see a lot of people that have overcome. You know, this have been five years and now they're great.

HANNITY: Is there a difference between mental illness and evil?

JOEL OSTEEN: I don't know. I don't know how it all, you know, maybe you can be mentally ill and allow evil to come in. I don't know how that works.

HANNITY: You think people are possessed, some people?

JOEL OSTEEN: I think there are. I mean, we see it back in -- you know, although in the Bible, there's a scripture talks about it. You know, some of these people who choose to dwell on the wrong things and they choose to let that spirit over take them.

HANNITY: Well, like a lot of -- I know what you are doing praying for those families. They need our prayers.

JOEL OSTEEN: Absolutely.

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