Newtown, Conn. Where is God?

WHERE IS GOD?

Watching the video images of the mothers and fathers along with their children’s teachers in Newtown, Conn. choked with grief and tears caused my heart to ask “Where is God in all of this?” Pictures of children and their parents in the Middle East also came into my mind. Pictures of bodies falling from the burning towers of the World Trade Center made their entrance into my mind’s eye along with humanity in agony in other parts of the world -- all made their way into my non-stop mental video as it played out images of suffering humanity in my mind.

Where is God in all of this? Again and again this question made its demands on me. I have no doubt that this question has come to you, too.

Then, inevitably, my mind’s eye turned to the crucifix. There, a human body writhed in pain on that instrument of torture, the Cross, there is God! He is not remote and distant – He is here, within us. There, on His Cross is God in all of humanity suffering with us and for us. There is all of humanity wrapped up in His Anointed One suffering in order to bring us with Him through death into eternal life. Is the crucifix an image of defeat? Or is the crucifix the image showing us that agony and death are not the final answer to human life, especially innocent human life under attack by evil itself?

That is the question. That is the ultimate question that leads us to the answer, to God’s answer to our questioning cry: “Oh God, where are You? Give me eyes to see.”

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual life shine upon them. Gather these little ones into your arms and love them, Father, with your everlasting love.