As a father of four kids all within or close to the ages of the kids whose lives were taken today, I grieve and mourn for the victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The senseless violence that seemingly goes unchecked in our society continues to erode the fabric of what it means to be human. We demand justice. Feelings of anger and rage are brewing in a cauldron of increasing tears as hearts are torn wide open. Can you feel their loss? If you are human, this will tear something away from you too.
A self inflicted gunshot wound seems to be the standard escape from any accountability for such heinous acts. We see this more and more. Selfishly, shooters bow out with a personal bullet. I hope the parents and victims of this crime would cling to the hope that escaping in this way just ushers in God's judgement sooner. In one hand God holds and consoles the broken hearted, and in the other judges evil justly.
I imagine many presents for these taken children were already wrapped. In my mind I see stockings hung with their names on them. I sense the hope of all that Christmas brings filling their little lives with joy. There most certainly were letters to Santa already written and parts well rehearsed for the Christmas play. These children were looking forward to seeing grandma and grandpa. They were at the height of hope and innocence in their short lives. Now they are gone.
If there was ever a time when we could turn back time, that time is now.
I leave you with this. Many children were lost today and we cannot change that. We must mourn with the victims…embrace their loss like it's our very own. It is good to lament. Perhaps what makes this so difficult is that soon we turn our eyes to celebrate a child coming; the Christ child…the one whom was foretold would save us from our sins with a new type of kingdom; a kingdom where peace prevails and people are restored and healed on earth as it is in heaven. This may seem a distant vision from the vortex of the current pain, but this Kingdom is on its way, already breaking in. Take comfort in knowing that the Christ child knew suffering, for He was broken and taken also.
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