A woman holds a child as people line up to enter the Newtown United Methodist Church near the scene of an elementary school shooting on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn. According to reports, there are at least 27 dead after a gunman opened fire in at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. The shooter was also killed. A web-only photo by Douglas Healey/Getty Images.
Dearest Friends,
In the wake of the horrific shooting yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, it seems we are living afresh into the dark side of the Christmas story, the massacre of innocents (Matthew 2:13-23) by King Herod:
A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.
Matthew 2:18
Many of us, myself included, are asking God, “Why?” How do we bring such pain and so many questions to God in prayer? Often the church does a good job at celebration, but does not know how to lament. This is unfortunate because the Bible provides many examples of lament. Here is one from a book full of lamentations:
Cry out to the Lord;
Moan, Daughter Zion!
Let your tears flow like a torrent
day and night;
Let there be no respite for you,
no repose for your eyes.
Rise up, shrill in the night,
at the beginning of every watch;
Pour out your heart like water
in the presence of the Lord
Lift up your hands to God
for the lives of your little ones.
Lamentations 2:18-19 NAB
We rarely know the answers to our questions of Why? this side of heaven. In times like this, our hope is in the resurrection. Jesus was born in a manger to ultimately teach and show a broken world what it means to live in right relationship with God and others. In the face of that perfect love, the world executed him on a “Good Friday.” But death could not hold him, and God raised him from the dead three days later. We trust that in our baptism we participate in the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus. But right now we are living in that in-between time of trial, pain, and suffering when the body is still in the grave.
On Sunday (at Lansing Christian School @ 9.30 & 11.15) and Monday (at Grumpy’s @ 7PM) we will take some time to write notes and prayers to Sandy Hook Elementary School, and our fellow United Methodist Church, Newtown UMC, which is within walking distance of the school and has been a center of helping people grieve, lament, and seek God amidst this great tragedy.
I hope you will join us tomorrow as we continue to celebrate Christmas (don’t forget to bring in your used candles for our community Advent candle on Christmas Eve, which reminds us that Jesus was Light amidst darkness) but also take some time to lament this tragedy.
Peace,
Pastor Tom
P.S. Here are some resources that you might find helpful right now:
Why? – The best sermon series I’ve heard on the question of God’s will and suffering (by Adam Hamilton)
Newtown UMC – The United Methodist Church within walking distance of the school
UMC News – An article about Newtown UMC
School Violence Spiritual Resources – Compiled by the United Methodist Church
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