newtown ct

REFLECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL 28 DECEMBER 2012

/ Michael J. Cunningham / Leave a comment

 

slaughter of the innocents

It is hard to not to reflect on the massacre of the innocents without thinking of those children and their protective teachers in Newtown CT. The mourning of a lost child is something to have experience of to truly understand. How can we outlive our children? We lost our first-born son shortly after he was born, and it was too much to endure.
The human emotions of loss, grief, misunderstanding, even anger all come rushing back after 30 years.
Jesus was saved from this massacre only to give Himself as the sacrificial lamb for all mankind. We can rest in peace in the knowledge that all children called are innocents that will be by His side forever, looking down and looking after us till we see them again in heaven.

REFLECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL 19 DECEMBER 2012

/ Michael J. Cunningham / Leave a comment

Archangel gabriel strikes Zachariah 

Gospel Lk 1:5-25

The wondrous gift of creation from a marriage is often hidden unless it is withheld for some reason. This passage links Zechariah and Elizabeth between Old Testament baron couples especially Sarah and Abraham, in readiness for the good news of Jesus’s salvation.

The appearance and revelation from Gabriel is obvious to all around him as he exits the temple. How many times in our own lives has something happened that is just an amazing gift that we can savor for a moment?

I was talking to a car salesman this morning, whose daughter has been seriously ill with a heart defect at birth, who just emerged successfully from surgery. I could see in his eyes he had a gift, and thought he might lose her too quickly, now she is returned and he is doubly grateful. Imagine how Zechariah and Elizabeth must have felt at the end of their lives getting this wondrous gift of a child.

Let us bask in the gift of our children today, for however long we may enjoy that time, particularly after the awful events in Newtown, CT last week. We will all be called back to Him someday; none are more ready than those innocent children.