And A Little Child Shall Lead Them

   The past few days have been filled with ups and downs. As I slept Friday morning after working the night shift a young man decided that he would take the lives of 20 small children and 6 adults in a  Connecticut school. It was hard working Friday night because all I wanted to do was be with my family and my 10 grandchildren. 

   Saturday morning I left for West Bend with my nephew as my wife had gone down the day before with my son, his fiancé, and his son. We were meeting at my daughter and son in law's house for our family Christmas celebration. Then on Sunday over to my other daughter and son in law's house for my grandson 8th birthday party.

   It was very hard to celebrate when I kept thinking of the events of the past days. When we went to Mass on Sunday morning, my wife and I were asked to carry up gifts. We told the person we were not from the parish just visiting and she told us that was ok, we still could carry the gifts. We decided that our 4 year old grandson would come up with us, in my mind in honor of the children and their teachers. It was the least I could do to lift up these lives, cut short, in prayer for them. 

   It is in times like this that I wish I could do more, and sometimes wonder if I could do something, would it make a difference. I got my answer today at my grandson, Noah's birthday. He's decided to not accept gifts for his birthday this year and instead collect donations for the Sandy Hook School support fund. Something an 8 year old should never have to think about, but his way of dealing with such an unthinkable event. 

   It got me to thinking of the verse in Isaiah 11:6 were it says "and a little child shall lead them." It made me proud as well as his parents to have such a little one thinking of reaching out and helping those in need. I would like to believe that he learned those things through his parents, and that maybe my wife and I played a part in teaching our children that also. But I am more inclined to believe that the Spirit works though all of us to do his deeds.

   My God is not dead, He is surely alive! He has not left us alone in this world and He continues to use the little children to lead us to Himself.