GOOD TIDINGS

     There wouldn’t seem to be much sense in speaking of good tidings this week, considering the catastrophe that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday, and yet it’s essential that we do, for violence must be reminded that it does not preside over us, and is definitely not the final word.  In fact, strange as it may sound, perhaps the parents of the lost children might take some solace from the fact that the children disappeared at the start of the season when we offer praise to the unceasing power of kindness. As grief-stricken as we are over the unspeakable loss of these innocent lives, we can perhaps place ourselves, in this special season, under the protective care of a power that’s far stronger than violence. Kindness doesn’t take care for us only until we lose something, but, in fact, flows around us with even stronger force in the face of misfortune. It’s as if violence unwittingly does for kindness what rain does for flowers – helps it sprout and blossom with a beauty and bravery that violence knows nothing about. Violence shouted at us last Friday – screamed its most sickening words at us, struck us down with its filthiest weapons -- and yet kindness, as it always can, will raise us up in a bolder spirit than before.  The families of Newtown have known the most horrible tragedy, but they will also know, and are even now starting to know, the startling powers – the good tidings -- of kindness. Violence did its best to break us last Friday, but it went down to defeat, as it always does when it tries to work against the persistent and unshakable powers of kindness,