“And Yes, Mom and Dad, I’ll be in Newtown
for Christmas. Newtown is home.”
December 25, 2012 – the third Mass of Christmas Day
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shined. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!
The word
of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Alleluia,
alleluia.
A reading
from the holy Gospel according to John
Glory
to you, Lord.
The light shines in the darkness
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him,
and without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was life, and
this life was the light
of the human race. The light shines in
the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Introduction
The
darkness has not overcome the light.
Christmas
is the only day in the liturgical calendar
which
has three different Masses assigned it: Mass at Midnight, Mass at Dawn and Mass
during the Day. The gospel for the 3rd Mass of Christmas says, “The
light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn.
1:5) On Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, the people of Newtown,
Connecticut (a neat well-to-do town with a population of 28,000) experienced
the massacre of 20 precious little children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook
Elementary School. The
people of Newtown are indeed “a people who walked in darkness.” But in many
wonderful ways, they are also “a people who have seen a great light.” (Is. 9:1)
In Newtown “the darkness has not overcome the light.” (Jn. 1:5) Or to put it positively, in Newtown “the light
has overcome the darkness.”
Jeff Belanger’s long piece
Jeff Belanger (a member of the Board of Directors
at the Newtown Memorial) is determined not to be overcome by that horrific
event which happened in Newtown. In a lengthy piece posted on Sunday, Dec 16, he profoundly
reflects on the massacre at Sandy Hook School. The bottom-line which suffuses
his posted piece is that in Newtown “the light has overcome the darkness.” His lengthy piece, powerfully written, in part reads:
The ancient Mayans
are right: The world ends this week. That doesn’t mean I’m not making plans for
any event beyond December 21st. In fact, my family just decided that we will be
spending Christmas in Newtown this year. But the world as we knew it must end.
And I’d like to thank 26 heroes for showing us why.
In 1985, my family
moved to Newtown, Connecticut. I attended fifth grade at Sandy Hook Elementary
School. I recall the giant green footprints that were painted on the street
from Riverside Road up to the school’s entrance. I remember Mrs. Paige, my
fifth grade teacher. And I recall my friends—carefree, learning, trying to be
cool—exactly the way elementary school kids are supposed to be.
I am forever a part
of that school and town, and it is forever a part of me. I share a kinship with
every person who was a student there, who taught there, who walked those halls,
and who had a connection with the building.
It’s been surreal
watching 24×7 television news plastering images of my childhood everywhere. The
police press conferences are being held at Treadwell Park, a place where I’ve
played in hundreds of soccer games. St. Rose of Lima Church is the church where
I was confirmed. Sandy Hook center is an intersection I’ve driven through
thousands of times. That firehouse and school—less than one mile from the house
I grew up in, and the house where my parents still live—are landmarks that we
passed almost every time we went anywhere. I can’t help but feel naked and
vulnerable as the world peers into my hometown.
But since the world is watching, that amazing community has
an opportunity to make a stand and say something both comforting and profound
here at the end of the world. It took 26 angels—most of them young children—to
accomplish what no single person could have done alone. They made the world
stop turning. They made all of humanity pause. They forced us to ask ourselves,
“What’s really happening to us?” The ancient Mayans may have predicted the end
of the world this week, but these 26 heroes fulfilled it.
These fine human
beings caused billions of extra hugs in recent days. They started dialogues
that need to happen. They woke up a town, a state, a nation, and a world to
what really matters. They did not die in vain. It’s our duty as humans to carry
on their legacy.
There was only one
monster Friday morning [Adam Lanza], but hundreds of helpers who ran in—and
those are just the first responders. As word spread, you had thousands then
millions more who pledged prayers, support, and money to help in any way they
could. Even in the darkest corners of this tragedy, we find light. [“The light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jn. 1:5]
The word “hero” is
thrown around too much today, but already we have heard stories of true heroism
from Sandy Hook. Victoria Soto, a first grade teacher, thought quickly when she
heard shots fired in her school. She hid all of her students in closets and
cabinets. When the gunman entered her classroom, she told him her kids were in
the gym. The coward then shot the defenseless teacher. She was quick-thinking,
brave, and selflessly traded her life for those of her
students. That is a hero. We should name towns and
streets after her. No amount of honor will ever be enough. Each of her students
will be greater people because of her. They will guide us into this brave new
world.
On
Sunday, President Obama visited my quiet hometown to help console the
victims’ families and a grieving nation. While it was right for him to do so,
it saddens me that any United States president would have ever even heard of my
little town. As one of my high school friends pointed out in his Facebook post,
“The last time shots were fired like this in Newtown was during the Revolutionary
War when Rochambeau’s army took practice shots at weather vanes.”
Of all of the human
emotions, “helpless” is the worst. For now, all I can do is pray for those who
need our support the most. I can hug and appreciate my five-year-old daughter a
little more each day. That is a gift 26 angels gave to me on Friday.
I moved away from
Newtown after college. But I’ve never lost touch. My parents live there, as do
my sister, my uncle, and so many friends. Today as I write this from my office
in Massachusetts, I’ve never felt so close to, yet so far away from my
hometown. I’ll be there for Christmas because there’s no place on Earth where
hope could shine any brighter. There’s no town or village that understands the
word “community” better than Newtown. This is a place that comes together to
help each other in times of need. They’re strong in their faith, conviction,
and spirit. And that’s what this holiday is supposed to be about.
I can’t help that
the name Newtown will become synonymous with this tragedy. But as the world
watches, may they see the light that shines out of every person who shares the
unimaginable pain of our neighbors who lost a child, a parent, a spouse, or a
friend. Long after the cameras are off and the news vans pull out of town, that
light will continue to shine, thanks to 26 angels and to so many heroes who
reminded the world of our humanity. [“The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it.” Jn. 1:5]
Conclusion
I’ll be
home for Christmas
Yes, the world as we know it has
ended, which makes this a time for new beginnings. I’ll work each day to make
this new world a better place than the old. And yes, Mom and Dad, I’ll be in
Newtown for Christmas. Newtown is home.
