Beauty from Ashes

In light of recent tragedy, one thinks that it doesn’t seem fair or comprehensible  that so many innocent children would be allowed to die. Yet, it happened. It happens. Connecticut was not the first place or only place that lost innocence. But, it does beg the question, how can we find the Father’s love in such situations? If we listen carefully, we can hear Him speaking.

Through such actions, He tells us that we need Him. If we don’t allow His love in, don’t allow Him to love us, sin can overshadow our attempts at doing good. Selfish and irrational thinking can overwhelm our hearts that are so empty that they are starving for love. Instead of reaching for love, distorted minds grasp for what would seem to end the emptiness…causing others pain, perhaps. Through these actions, our Father is saying, “I know you and your pain; free yourself in my love.”

In the parents dropping everything to come after their children and embracing their children once found, our Father shows Himself. He is also there through the efforts of the first responders and police officers trying to do all in the their power to save, console, and pull the clues together. People throughout the world, in tears, praying for and wanting to comfort those in pain…these are all examples of the Father’s love.

Our Father’s love comes through the awesome, mysterious reality of free will that He offers us. We underestimate the power of this gift. It’s so difficult to understand. It’s mindblowing. Our Father loves us so much that He allows us to choose freely…Him or not. Evil or love. Freedom or chains. Perhaps, the question is not, “Why would God let this happen?” but, “Why would someone not choose love?” Either way, God’s love prevails. Even in such incomprehensible evil, God’s love wins in the end. Our Father’s sadness and misunderstanding and disgust with evil is taken away only because He is allowed to wrap His arms around His children without a world in the way as He welcomes them into His Kingdom. He can finally be with them forever and shower His love on them. This, too, is difficult to understand because we think that they would be happier here on earth, certainly, their parents would be. Father tells us that evil exists, but love, His love prevails all the more and only He can bring beauty from ashes in ways we cannot foretell. 

Finally, I think there is a lesson here for each of us…at least for me. It seems that it takes these kinds of horrible events to look at each other and love and appreciate each other because life is so delicate. The truth is that life is always delicate. Why do we sometimes wait for disasters, deaths, or tragedies to spend more time hugging our children, calling loved ones, or bringing over a meal to our neighbor’s house? Maybe our Father is telling us that this is how we should always love each other. The love and compassion that comes out at these times is what we are meant to show, the gift that we are called to be to everyone we come in contact with everyday. In loving others with His love always, then maybe we can somehow help prevent our brothers and sisters from feeling unloved and wanting to choose such violent, evil ways to express themselves.