On December 14th on lunch break during the Living in Grace Retreat, someone asked, “Where do you live now?” When I replied Newtown, CT, I saw shock in my friend’s eyes. She had seen the news on the television in the coffee bar that morning. Twenty young children and six teachers and administrators had been murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary school where my mom had taught for fourteen years.

It was a blessing to have the opportunity to call in the Light for Sandy Hook an hour later from Living in Grace with my MSIA family. At our Living in Grace store, a beautiful angel whose wings covered and protected a little boy and girl stood tall over the great hall. A friend was moved to purchase this very special Angel and had her blessed by the Traveler. One of my mom’s friends works at Sandy Hook elementary school and received the angel blessing with gratitude. Our blessing of Light was already in motion.

When I got home, I witnessed an outpouring of love flowing from people from around the world, neighbors, church communities, families and friends. Flowers, stuffed animals and letters of loving and prayer were piled at temporary memorial sites at major intersections around town. Green signs in store windows and bumper stickers on cars declared, “We are Sandy Hook. We choose Love.” I even saw this sign on several giant billboards over I-95, 30 miles away. What a sign of loving oneness!

I was present several times with ministers in Washington, DC and New York City as we planted Light Columns with Traveler John Morton. Each time, I experienced of the splendor of Light that we can bring through this silent ministry. So I was aware of the blessing that can be brought through a Light column ministry and prayed to bring a blessing of a Light to Sandy Hook.

On May 9th, the day before the Spiritual Exercises retreat, our group gathered together at the Newtown United Methodist Church in Sandy Hook. My mom and I met MSIA friends from Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and California, as well as a new friend from Australia. MSIA staff members, Roger Wakefield and Julie Lurie, set up their video link. After enthusiastic greetings all around, Cleora Daily and Angel Harper demonstrated the value of preparing the space with quiet spiritual exercises until John Morton and Leigh Taylor-Young Morton arrived.

As rain poured down outside, I stretched into leading us through our very unscripted heartfelt blessing of Light. Connecticut minister Louisa Holmes called in the Light beautifully. My mom and I then sang “Dona Nobis Pacem”, (Latin for “Grant us peace” ) a round sung in my family as grace before meals. Connecticut minister, Leigh Merrihew read about Light columns from Fulfilling your Spiritual Promise…

“As a spiritual being, you have inside the ability to call forth and bring forth the Light of God into any environmental situation and to transmute the negativity into a positive gain. You will probably never know directly the benefits that such work has, the ways it touches people, or the positive changes it brings about. It is a silent work, a silent ministry, and a powerful one.” – John-Roger

In his blessing of Light for Sandy Hook, Traveler John Morton asked us to understand that we are walking Light, breathing Light, …the spark of life that allows us to be in this level. John reminded us of the importance of going within to be silent, to listen and ended by claiming the blessings fully going into every need and satisfying what will serve the good purpose that is in us as God’s truth and God’s love.

Afterwards we each had an opportunity to share our blessings of Light for Sandy Hook. Thanks to each of us for showing up and claiming that we are the blessings. And thanks to Julie Lurie and Roger Wakefield, you can watch John Morton’s blessing and the entire event here:

The Newtown Bee, our local paper announced the unanimous decision on Friday May 10th by the town’s task force, “to build a new school on the site of the current Sandy Hook School. This would allow the community to have a ‘transformative feeling’ and offer emotional closure. This group took an impossible decision and made a ray of hope for the future”, a reporter from the Newtown Bee proclaimed.

This morning, as I drove to the United Methodist Church in Sandy Hook to thank them for the use of their beautiful church, I was aware of a beautiful field of Light. I am so grateful for the Love and support of my Travelers, John Morton and John-Roger. May we continue to learn from their example to be the Light and to share the Light as Spirit directs for the highest good of all concerned. Baruch Bashan. The blessing already are!