Advent in Sandy Hook

Sandy Richter has graciously given me her expressed permission to share this with you here.

As we move on through Advent towards Christmas, this is an excellent reminder of what we easily overlook with everything else going on. 

Fleming Rutledge shared these words with a community lost in grief. It was less than a week after the December 14, 2012 school shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut — 

In the church, this is the season of Advent.

It’s superficially understood as a time to get ready for Christmas, but in truth it’s the season for contemplating the judgment of God.

Advent is the season that, when properly understood, does not flinch from the darkness that stalks us all in this world.

Advent begins in the dark and moves toward the light—but the season should not move too quickly or too glibly, lest we fail to acknowledge the depth of the darkness.

As our Lord Jesus tells us, unless we see the light of God clearly, what we call light is actually darkness: “how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23)

Advent bids us take a fearless inventory of the darkness without and the darkness within.

— Hmmm. Maybe it’s not as simple as you and me just easily overlook ing this with everything else going on…maybe we turn away from this part of Advent intentionally. 

Let’s spend a little more time with this.

See you back here tomorrow.