Hope after Sandy Hook

It’s hard to believe, but this Saturday we will remember the one year anniversary of the school shooting that rocked a nation.  Last December, lone gunman Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and opened fire on children, teachers, and administrators.  When all was said and done, 20 small children, 6 adults, and Lanza’s mother were dead.  Walking through the Advent and Christmas season, it was hard not to think of the slaughter of the Innocent that Herod order in Matthew 3.  Herod, angry with the wise men for not returning to the palace after their visit with Jesus, decides to kill all children under the age of two years old.  It’s callous, it’s random, and it’s senseless.  Sandy Hook is and was all those things.  Thinking about the town, the school, those parents, those families got me to thinking about just how difficult it is to have hope during this time of the year.  Even though Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, many people find the holidays to be anything but hopeful.  Maybe it’s because they have lost someone they love, maybe it’s because a relationship has been severed, divorce papers have been signed, pink slips have been issued, or a diagnosis has been announced.  What ever the reason, many people find themselves surrounded by utter darkness and depression.  If this is you, you are not alone!  There is hope!  Do not hide in your darkness, do not place a barrier between yourself and people, but allow yourself to experience God’s glorious light.  If this is you, there is an online grief resource I want to encourage you to check out called “grief share.”  You can find out more about grief share groups, events, and even receive daily encouraging emails.  GriefShare’s website is www.griefshare.org  This is the most complicated time of the year, a time when we are reminded of those things we have lost, but also a time we remember the gift of Jesus that we have gained.  It’s during this Christmas and Advent season that God brings to my attention the names and situations of many who have lost loved ones over the last several years, and I spend extra time praying for those persons to experience God’s love, grace, and peace.  Know that your pastor is praying for you and asking God to gift you with God’s peace.  I’m also praying for Sandy Hook, the school, the community, and the families.  I’m praying for signs of hope.  

On Mission with you, 

Pastor Rachel