Eternal rest grant onto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them . . .
Any sudden death takes away a bit of one's heart as they try to come to terms with it. Car accidents, mishaps, illness all have an explanation of sorts as to why it happened and we are left to cope with the outcome of the loss of a loved one. The hurt is deep but we can come to terms with it. Today, however, twenty little children were brutally murdered. They probably watched in terror and shock as they were gunned down, one by one, by a stranger to them. I have to wonder how the parents will deal with this unnecessary invasion into their lives and the loss of their babies. I have tears just knowing it happened. How much more sorrowful to have to live through this?
I imagine that many of these little ones were looking forward to visits to Santa this weekend and shopping for Christmas surprises for their parents. The mother and fathers probably already had gifts wrapped and ready for them under the Christmas tree. The warmth of the Christmas Season was tragically taken away from the families of these children as well as the families of the adults who also died in that school today.
It is a good reminder to the rest of us to never part in anger with any of our family. We should always send a prayer their way during the day. We never know what the end of the day will be like in spite of our expectations of the morning.
Faith is what brings us through these times even though the hurt and sorrow will be ingrained in hearts for a long time to come. I'm imagining the look on God's Face, today, when He welcomes these little souls back into His keeping. At least there will be no more pain for them as they spend this Christmas with the Reason for the Season.
Jesus, however, said, "Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them
away, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to people like these."
