Comfort, Comfort, My People

The slaughter of the 20 school children and seven other adults, including the shooter, evokes thoughts of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, but this time before Christmas, not in its usual place on the 28th of December.  To parapharse Jeremiah, "In Newtown, is heard the sound of moaning,/ of bitter weeping!  Rachel mourns her children,/ she refuses to be consoled/ because her children are no more."  (cf Jer 31: 15). Echoing Isaiah, "Comfort, comfort my people"  (Is 40:1), Jeremiah continues:  "Cease your cries of mourning,/ wipe the tears from your eyes./ The sorrow you have shown shall have its reward, says the Lord,/ they shall return from the enemy's land." (Jer 31: 16).
It will take a long time, if ever, for the sorrow to be lifted from these families, the school community, ans from Newtown itself.  Such pain, intenstified by the shock of its suddenness, its extent and its untimely occurence so close to Christmas, will never go away.  However, we must believe, we must pray that in some ways, comfort will eventually come.  Each day there seems to be one tragedy or one occasion or another to bring us to our knees.  This for sure is a big one. It would be good to direct our Advent prayers and sacrifices toward these deceased innoncents for their eternal rest  and toward their mourning families, praying from the depths of our being, for their comfort.
Bro. Rene