As I reflected on the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, I found these words that I posted to my congregation's Facebook page one year ago:
"Many
times I have found that when words fail me, the liturgy of the Church
helps me to pray. The liturgy of Morning Prayer (Matins) gives us words
to pray when we are at a loss for words following the events of
yesterday:
"In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from
on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and
the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." (The
Song of Zechariah, also known as the Benedictus, from "For All the
Saints - A Prayer Book For and By the Church")."
One year later, we still dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. When our faith is shaken by events such as the shooting in Newtown, and when our minds have difficulty grasping how to deal with such a tragedy, sometimes it is all we can do to cling to the words of the liturgy. In the midst of the shadows and the darkness, they remind us of hope - a hope that one day, the dawn from on high will guide our feet into the way of peace.
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