Newtown Victims Get Shrine Dedicated to Them from Care of the Soul's All Faiths Festival

Hearts are broken.

Even the yellow smiley face baloon secured on a string near a makeshift shrine for the "angels" has a band-aid on its left cheek. That's hopeful thinking for survivors who prayed Tuesday in front of the historic Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Roseville, MI., with an Advent Tea following for all at the interfaith service.  The Care of the Soul and Companions' All Faiths Festival hosted the event marking 23 days of preparation and anticipation of God's light before Christmas Day when believers hold that Jesus the Christ was born in Bethleham, near Nazareth where he grew up in a troubled Palestine then, and now.

Like a litany, the list was read for 26 people, the participants in the prayer service, called, angels.

The killer, and, his mother, were also remembered as the group sang, "Silent Night," and "Hark
the Herald Angels Sing."

At Gratiot and Utica Road, cars honked as they joined in the prayer, it seemed, December 18, 2012.

The "Our Father" was prayed, while media bolted for comments for the early aftenoon news that dark, wintry day of 36 degrees.

Faith, and, its inner resource, will see the parents, siblings, teachers, and Newtown, CT, residents through this horror of a massacre with an assault weapon that killed 20  5-6-year-olds in Sandy Hook Elementary School last week Friday.

More flowers, a butterfly, and candles adorned the shrine on Wednesday as caregivers maintain it through Christmas - the Nativity, when Jesus the Christ was born centuries ago in the greatest story ever told in the Bible.

"Let the little children come unto me," words from the Christian Scriptures in Matthew's Gospel, said by Jesus, were noted on a sandwich board sign, and read by mother and grandmother, Linda Beaumont of Madison Heights, MI.

A procession of passersby frequent the shrine daily now. A teddy bear or two crowd the sign that notes in bold, black letters:  26 Angels.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

And, God, help us with this nation's obsession with weapons of mass destruction. Are the words of Jesus that those who live by the sword, die by the sword, words  I believe in personally?

I do.

Other groups, including a metropolitan interfaith council of clergy and citizens, incldug Victor Beggs, and Robert Brutrell, plan a remembrance vigil for tonight in Beverly Hills, MI., on the west side of the metropolitan area.

Hearts are broken everywhere.  They hurt and ache for the little angels. 

We are literally dying over guns.

God help us in our insanity, and, the out-of-control gun cartel in this country I so love.