How are you handling the news about the school shooting in Newton, Connecticut? It is upsetting me a lot, on a variety of levels. I am finding it difficult to blog about it, or to analyze causes, or to offer suggestions, because I still feel immobilized by the tragedy of it all.
Today, I found myself singing the comfort verse of “God Rest You Merry Gentlemen” over and over again. I think whenever I hear this verse over the holiday season, I will think of sharing the “tidings of comfort and joy” with the people of Newton, Connecticut, and especially with the families who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
I also wrote a new verse for the song, which resonates with my feelings about the tragedy, and can be used by people regardless of their religious beliefs:
to the tune of
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
When tragedy reveals itself
It makes our heart feel sad.
Though, we must look beyond
To weave some good out of the bad,
To lift us all from these dark hours
And, make all hearts feel glad.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Filed under: Holidays, music, News, personal Tagged: | Connecticut School Shooting, God rest you merry gentlemen, healing for Newton, Newton School Shooting, Sandy Hook Elementary, songs of hope
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