Silence

   Yesterday was the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday. It's the Sunday when the  the lone pink candle is lit and traditionally the priest wears his rose colored vestments. The pink signifies that the third Sunday is suppose to be one of joy and celebration for the impending arrival of the lord. However, yesterday Father Eric was not in his rose colored vestments and instead of a homily full of happiness and joy we had a time of silent prayer and then as a congregation prayed a decade of the rosary for all the innocent lives lost in Newtown, CT. Father Eric explained to us after careful thought and prayer, his decision to forego the tradition of Gaudete Sunday, and I am thankful that he did. The silence that enveloped the church was more moving than any homily could have been. With all the coverage on the news, and now the political storm after someone's visit, maybe the best thing to do is to turn the TV off and instead embrace the silence and say a prayer for the souls of those heroic teachers and tiny innocent children lost and their families. Just a thought..