SANDY HOOKS ELEMENTARY SLAUGHTER

As we continue to anticipate the coming of the Christ-child during this Advent season, we are forced to pause in our joyful anticipation and compelled to reflect on the anticipation that 20 families in Newtown, CT. experienced 6 and 7 years ago. For them, their anticipation of their boy children and girl children has become bitter sweet as they deal with the act of a madman in the Sandy Hooks Elementary School who took the lives of 20 6 & 7 year olds – 8 boys and 12 girls as well as 6 of their teachers.

The event raises many questions for us as we try to deal with the reality of this tragedy and consider the vulnerability of our own children and grandchildren. - our neighbors’ children and our nieces and nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

How can people of faith deal with such tragedy? How can a loving God allow such a thing to happen? What can be done to prevent a recurrence in the future? How can people without faith deal with such tragedy?

I have to confess to my own feeling of inadequacy due to the pain that I am feeling myself but I can try to bring some sense of hope into the conversation.

I would like to begin by quoting the words of our own bishop Debra Kiesey:

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  - John 1:5 

This upcoming Friday marks the Winter Solstice, the moment in the northern hemisphere when we experience the longest day of darkness during the year.  For many of us, Friday, December 14, will instead feel like the darkest day of 2012.  It was on this quiet Friday morning, in a quaint town in Connecticut, that a young man wearing combat gear and armed with multiple weapons walked into an elementary school and took the lives of 20 little children and six adults who cared for them.

For the loved ones of those killed in Newtown, Conn., we struggle to find ways to express our deep collective grief and anguish over this senseless loss of innocent life.   We mourn the loss of all these Children of God whose promising futures ended so abruptly.  We mourn the loss of innocence and feelings of security in our communities.  We mourn the loss of feelings of joy, celebration and goodwill in this Advent season, overshadowed by a dark event.   

For the victims and all those impacted by this tragedy in Newtown, we pray that God surrounds and comforts them as they try to cope with such incomprehensible loss.  We also pray for the young man that was responsible for creating this pain on Friday.  Help us understand how he could commit such a senseless act to deal with his own personal darkness.

In times of grief, we are reminded that darkness is no match for light.  As the 1677 hymn “Christ is the World’s Light” proclaims, “Christ is the world’s light, Christ and none other; born in our darkness, he became our brother. No one can serve him and despise another. Who else unites us, one in God the Father?”

For, I am reminded that as people of light, we are drawn to follow the illumination given freely to us in the form of a savior born over 2,000 years ago.  The promise of a new life, free from sin.  The promise of unconditional love and forgiveness.   The promise of a light that can shatter any darkness.  

Today, we pray that the light of Jesus Christ reaches the hurting people of Newtown and the hearts of all of us who need to feel God’s love.

Blessings,

Bishop Deborah Lieder-Kiesey"

“For, I am reminded that as people of light, we are drawn to follow the illumination given freely to us in the form of a savior born over 2,000 years ago.  The promise of a new life, free from sin.  The promise of unconditional love and forgiveness.   The promise of a light that can shatter any darkness.”

Those words of encouragement must uphold each one of us who grieve over the senseless loss of these dear ones.

And hear these words from Scripture:

He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.

⁴ He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name. Psalm 147

We can believe that on Friday, December 14, 2012 God welcomed 27 new stars into His heaven and called them each by name. He also grieved over the loss of one whom He loved; who chose eternal separation from Him: Adam Lanza – a troubled young man who on Friday began by killing his own mother before moving on to the children and their teachers.

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46

Many have asked, “Where was God when this happened?” He was in the same place that He always is; as He declared, “I will put my sanctuary among them forever. ²⁷ My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. ²⁸ Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.”

He is here! Now and forever! Even though He is banned from our schools by men, He is there because He is God. He sees what goes on and He grieves with and for us. But He will not interfere because He gave us a free will to do good and to do evil. Many choose to do evil and we all suffer from their choices even as we suffer from the choices of Adam and Eve to disobey God in Paradise. He does intercede in some miraculous way in some instances – like teacher Victoria Soto who protected her first graders from Adam Lanza and paid for it with her life but directed him in another direction before he killed her.

What can be done to prevent further tragedies like the Sandy Hooks Elementary massacre? I have a suggestion, also from Scripture. We prayed it many times during the political process in our country. “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

I think that we all recognize that we who are known by the Name of His Son are His people. I believe that we have prayed – perhaps even humbled ourselves (in service and love of neighbor) but have we yet turned from our wicked ways?

Have we put an end to the slaughter of the unborn in our land? Do we still tolerate sin in whatever way it presents itself – denominational exclusionism and pride, judgment of those who worship differently than us, do we let our children stay home from church because “it’s too much hassle” to make them come with us, or do we drop them off at church and then pick them up afterward thereby giving no example of the importance of regular community worship, do we teach them to tithe from an early age, do we keep our mouths shut when God’s Name is used in vain, do we avoid the Sacraments?

Perhaps you’ve never thought of the above or similar activities as sin. We should be guided by Jesus’ brother, James’, warning when he said, “Anyone, [then,] who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” James 4:17

How do those who have no faith deal with such tragedies? I don’t know! Because “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

Post Script: I can't help wondering how many of those dear souls would still be with us if teachers and administrators had had the option to arm themselves and defeat the evil that visited Sandy Hooks Elementary. Unarmed citizens are like ducks on a pond to individuals intent on evil.